It Was Supposed To Be Forever
by EclipsingFlames
Summary: It took one death to break a sealed bond between friends that lead a legacy. Now, when one discovers that death was more than an accident, it uncovers secrets that were meant to keep them and the world protected.
1. Yellow Commentaries

**It Was Suppose To Be Forever….**  
By _EclipsingFlames_

The machinery was sensitive and very, very much elusive, yes, but the long hours in isolation ached in the silence and consuming thoughts that sent her over her last calming edge a long time ago. It was never in her nature to act out in anger by violence. In fact, she kept that character trait so concealed, some of her friends thought she was immune to rage. Had they seen her only momentary ago, they would know she were human. The time in captivity of the place could not have passed without the passing of a few curse words in the four languages she spoke fluently in and the deeply rooted dents on a few choice spots of the fragile equipment, she decorated with a swift kick of her hiking boot.

She took great care in pressing the last few sequences in to the computer as the video screen before her split between live coverage of her and a data layout as she entered configurative codes that sealed the last of what she set out to accomplish. The computers hummed and panels glowed singling the codes were well received and the manufactures were complete.

The video focused, picking up on the blunt notes of computer keys and switches as the footage sparked to life after several years of being dismantled. The chair creaked and hissed soft from the slight pressure lowering it into adjustment. The scientist caught her breathy sigh within her mouth, her teeth sealing the air in as they caged her bottom lip from completing the smile they begun to form.

"Excellent." She stretched her smile now unclamped from the toothy cage. " Now to test receivers."

Quickly, she wrapped her laptop from its expensive case and routed her saved contents within it to the main computers memory drive for it to copy. The video playedAn image of her was presented taken weeks ahead, her long raven hair pulled tight in a pony tail and face expressed in an alert and very concerned manner.

"Video log 76base- D," She spoke in the aged footage.

" I don't want to panic anyone… there's most likely nothing to panic about…" She sighed. " Okay let me start from the beginning, before I jump to conclusions. My name is Trini Kwan, I'm a scientist… a geologist more specifically. I look like any other woman, act like any other woman. I have a fiancée and a planned future ahead of me that I was really looking forward, too. No this isn't what you think, I'm not dying or planning to anytime soon, it's just… before I became what you see before you, I was apart of something else just like all of you. I was the yellow power ranger…

" I guess it's important to say I'm the first, the original yellow power ranger of earth, that fought to protect this earth in the year 1993. By time you get this, which I pray some ranger does, it wont be too late. Or even better my theories won't turn in to a reality." She pulled a small trinket from her pocket off screen and held it up to the camera attached to the portable computer before her on her desk.

" This is my sabor- tooth tiger coin, my old energy source that transferred power into me to transform me into earth's first elite team. There are several now… for that I feel I should apologize that you have to continue the battle we left off. I'm not talking about whatever monster empire that's risen in your time, but mine, because what I'm about to warn you about is something old, but new to you…"

Trini imported the rest of the feed into the main computer cutting off the video footage in the process. She couldn't watch anymore, not knowing what she knew. All that mattered was that she got home in time to meet with her fiancée and got in contact with her friends.

Unfortunately, the events of the day had proven her hopes wrong, what had risen was old, but not the right old. Not the right enemies.

Today was declared 'Forever Red' day amongst the power rangers. Everyone was informed of the remaining machine empire's retaliation to uncover Serpenterra for what would be they're last plot against the rangers. The red rangers had defeated the threat but another threat existed far older than the machine empire. And right now, she was the only one that knew of it as far as she was concerned.

Trini stood, gathering up her laptop, and skillfully whisking the equipment away in to her shoulder bag. She cleared away whatever discarded equipment littered on the stretch of computer panels in to a tool bin along one of the far walls. Sliding her shoulder bag up her arm, she took one last look up the place, old memories flooding back as she replaced certain appearances she took in with the old that filled her heart.

_I better get moving, _She thought glancing at her watch. _He'll be waiting for me.

* * *

****_

AuthorsNote: 

WOOO! Okay, I've been really excited about the posting of this story, so prepare for the ride of my new labor of lovee 'It Was Suppose To Be Forever'. It's takes the female team up to a more intense level (I'm hoping) than my other story I posted. I haven't figured out when I'll post the second chapter, but it's already written out. As for my other story expect the next chapter soon. I've been busy rewriting it and making improvements, so I can be happy for it. Until then, please, please, please review, cause I'm in love with this up coming adventure I have planned for this story.

Also please, excuse any mistakes you may have encountered while reading. I'm doing this on my own without a beta reader, but hopefully soon he'll have time to help me out.

EclipsingFlames


	2. I Will Survive

Chapter 2: I Will Survive 

By EclipsingFlames

The sun was blistering hot and she had the heated numbing pain in her arms to support that fact. The air moved dry, sending grains of sand sailing pass her open window as the wheels of her 95' dodge ram pick up truck, kicked through the flat surfaces of dessert land. Trini was never picky, she accepted what she received and what she could afford, but it was time she and her future husband invested in an upgrade model. The air conditioner was beyond busted and radio leaked in and out of satellite signal, making the trip to the plateau not only more lengthy, but tortuous as hell.

A glimmer caught her attention against her arm, bursting in a small dull light of rainbow colors. Trini glanced down in the passenger seat and saw part of a cd tucked away under the applied pressure of her shoulder bag. She yanked it from beneath the bag and read the underside in a quick glimpse away from the wide plains ahead of her. Trini grinned and jammed the cd into the player, thanking whatever luck there was that carried her from the long drive of boredom to the easy of mind that would carry away the pressure of her thoughts with music.

To put it simply, she was grateful that her beau had forgotten to clean the truck like he had promised two weeks ago to do.

Trini grinned. And the music played:

**At first I was afraid, I was petrified**

**I kept thinkin' I could never live without you by my side**

**But then I spent so many nights just thinking how you've done me wrong**

**And I grew strong, I learned how to get along**

Drowned in the mood of music, the vibration against her upper thigh caused her to jump and brought her back to her sense. She quickly balanced the steering wheel with one hand and worked to release the tight space in her pocket as she pulled her singular in to her free hand.

**And so you're back from outer space,**

**I just walked in to find you here with that, that look upon your face**

**I should have changed my fucking lock **

**I would have made you leave your key**

**If I'd have known for just one second you'd be back to bother me. **

Trini paused the music and answered her cell.

" Hey you."

"Hey yourself." The voice replied. " This has been a long day, Tri. Working with all the red rangers was just so…amazing! We definitely left earth in good hands."

"Well of course," She grinned. " With good leveled headed yellow rangers to lay smack downs on the red rangers when needed, how can the earth not be in good hands?"

" Oh, ha-ha." The mock laughter easily developed into a soft chuckle that robbed her heart.

Everyday she thought of him, she still couldn't believe she was spending the rest of her life with this man. This one man she grew up with blinded of where her heart was born to settle upon. She smiled dreamily in the comfortable silence hanging on both ends. " Your thinking about me, are you?"

"And you're thinking of me."

They carried one mind and shared the same breath a soul inhaled to live for another and it was just beautiful.

"Always Trini." She could see him bite his bottom lip in that way that drove her insane.

" This is it; there's no more missions, just you and me. The earth is finally safe." He soft but firm voice, one she knew that meant he wasn't backing down from his word. "You're the only thing I need forever. No more missions, no more power rangers, only you. I can live without all the action and adventure, but I don't know what I would do if I had to live without you."

He was beautiful.

Trini's breath caught in his words, twisting with the need to tell him, what she had hoped would be the last of her suspicions, but after such words, she owed him the peace of mind if only for a little while longer. She smiled, unknowing a tear was escaping down the side of her face.

"Promise me forever, Jase?"

"Only you, Trini."

He made her beautiful.

" I love you."

"Love you, too, baby." He smiled. " Drive safely."

" I will."

He made living life beautiful.

She pressed the end' button on her cell. And the music resumed.

**Oh now go, walk out the door**

**Just turn around now, you're not welcome anymore.**

**Weren't you the one who tried to break me with desire?**

**Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die? **

Trini merged on to the lone highway leading back to Angel Grove, back to home. The few lone cars on the road spotting her abnormal entrance on to the highway made no gesture to care of her merging. From what she could see there was a jeep several feet ahead of her, an old classic convertible at least four cars spaces up the lane from her, and a large eighteen wheeler just along side of her.

Everything was just completely normal.

Until the convertible screeched to a rapid halt up the road and a golden flash blinded her vision.

**Oh not I, I will survive**

**Yeah, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll be alive. **

**I've got all my life to live,**

**I've got all my love to give,**

**I will survive **

**I will survive**

**Yeah, yeah...**

The truck door was ripped open and thrown as if it were nothing. Trini was pulled by her hair out the drivers seat and leveled above the ground to look eye to eye at the suspicion that had dawned a definite reality.

"Hello, Trini. "

The former yellow ranger gasped in horror, uttering out in a single word.

"You…"

**It took all the strength I had just not to fall apart,**

**I'm tryin' hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart**

**And I spent oh so many nights just feelin' sorry for myself, **

**I used to cry**

**But now I hold my head up high. **

"Yes," The malicious grin was defining. "Me."

Trini never brought her power coin, the piece was safely tucked away for further research that she needed to carry on with the next day.

Empowering.

Several more faces appeared. Some she recognized, others she didn't, but they did nothing, just looked on as if this were some grand event.

"Hey! What's going on over there?" It was the trucker. The flash stopped the movement of vehicles from continuing ahead. The two passengers, an elderly couple most likely coming or going from a vacation, also got out their car to look at the group that appeared out of no where.

"Let the citizens go!" Trini would not show any fear as they would not show her any mercy. "You have me; let them go."

Conquering.

" Like you, they know too much too soon, Trini."

"No…"

"Just be honored I'm doing this myself, instead of one of my warriors." The smile never left. " I promise this will be painful."

**And you'll see me with somebody new**

**I'm not that stupid little person still in love with you.**

**And so you thought you'd just drop by and you expect me to be free,**

**But now I'm saving all my lovin' for someone who's lovin' me, **

**Oh now go, walk out the door.**

**Just turn around now, you're not welcome anymore.**

**Weren't you the one who tried to break me with desire?**

**Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die? **

_He was beautiful. He had made her beautiful. He had made life living beautiful._

That was all Trini could think of in her mind. All she wanted to see as she was thrown in the center of the circle of the beings surrounding her. They fought her, cut and beat her, but each time she hit the ground, she got back up. Even when her lungs could no longer muster another breath, she stood.

They would not see her in fear.

_Jason,_ She thought. And he was the last thing she thought of as she stood tall and held her head up high in the wake of something she knew she would not walk out of alive.

"There are others who will find out about you…."

"They'll meet with you soon." And then there was nothing.

**Oh not I, I will survive**

**Yeah, as long as I know how to love I know I'll be alive,**

**I've got all my life to live,**

**I've got all my love to give,**

**I will survive **

**I will survive**

**Yeah, yeah…**

Okay, before I get flamed, I have to send my strongest apologies to the reviewers that thought Trini was going to be the main character of this story. I am currently coming up with something that will be just centered around her because I don't think there is enough stories that are, but Kimberly has always been my favorite ranger. Trini will still be in the story, just not in the way you guys think. Right now I have to go with my gut on what I want to do with this story cause its unlike anything I've written before, which is why I'm so excited about this project. To those who haven't checked my profile, I said a little stuff about this story in there, so check that out if you want. I might be rewriting it soon cause I get bored easily.

About the song 'I will survive', I placed that in there with the thought of that one scene from Killing Mr. Griffin starring Amy Jo and I thought it added a complete irony to the chapter. In K.M.G. Amy Jo's character is having a nightmare about not being able to keep the secret about her involvement with the teachers death anymore and the song is basically saying the opposite by saying they're surviving through whatever it is their going through. Yeah, I seriously think too much about things, lol. I need a job. If you look the song up its by Cake and is more edgy than the oldie version of the song.

Anyway, I hope people will like where I'm going with this story, it gets so much better, I promise. Just stay with me. I'm currently working on the fifth chapter, unlike my first story where I'm like twenty chapters ahead. So please, review and if you have questions leave contact info cause I reply to all my reviews that have them. Thanks!

EclipsingFlames


	3. We Never Considered Goodbye

**

* * *

We Never Considered Goodbye**  
**

* * *

Angel Grove  
**

Jason Scott dismounted his black Dyna Glide Harley-Davidson and pulled the helmet from his head. The spring air pulled in to his lungs to ease the excitement boiling in his stomach and cool the heat off his face. To have the fresh air wipe at his face helped some, but seeing how the red 4x4 wasn't parked outside the garage of his single leveled house, fueled only the anticipation and anxiety of having to wait for Trini to get him. He unbundled the bunch of dozen red roses carefully attached to the saddlebag of his bike and singled out his keys for the right one as he walked the path from the front of the garage to the front door.

The home was traditional and homey with a front and back yard that Jason always dreamed of starting a family within. Inside the décor was a perfect blend of Asian and mission style decorations that relaxed the feel of each room. Trini spent great care in decorating the home, wanting each detail to express who they were and their likes from the zen carpets laid out on the wooden floors to the once bare white walls painted in crèmes, yellows and reds throughout the home. The house held three bedrooms down the hallway, one being the study and combined office filled of books on geology, Asian cultures, martial arts studies and other varieties. The second room was a spare room for when Zack, Billy, Tommy and Kimberly would make their visits when work allowed them too. And the third room happened to be his favorite: the master bedroom. The room reserved for Trini and himself.

A smile played on his lips as memories that did not involve sleep caused his body to ache with need. _Damn it Tri, you better be home soon, _Jason, all but growled to echo his thoughts.

Jason checked his watch. 6:15. Just a couple of hours, since he lasted talked to her.

He sat the bundle of roses on top the island in the middle of the kitchen and jumped on to the counter, reaching for the cordless phone.

"_I'm sorry the number you have dialed has been disconnected. Please, hang up and try again."_

"That's odd," Jason frowned hanging up the call. " Trini always pays her cell phone bill. It couldn't have got disconnected since I last phoned her."

The phone rang in his hand causing him to snap his thumb across the 'talk' button, before he had time to jump at the loud siren the ring seemed to alert in the quiet house.

" Hey babe, I thought you would be home already, seems a trip to the moon is a turn on and I need you so bad-"

"Jason, don't you dare finish that sentence!" The voice definitely was not Trini's. Jason froze. "I love you bro, but not that much."

"Tommy..." Jason swallowed, his mouth going dry. "Hey."

" I think I've gotten to know a lot more of you than I care to, Jase." Tommy laughed over the line, causing Jason's face to only redden some more. "Is this a bad time?"

" Uh, no. Sorry about the confusion, man. Trini was suppose to be home by now, I thought you were her calling to tell me where she was."

" Ah. Enough said, bro."

"Just one more month, man." Jason hopped off the counter, feeling the buzz of bliss shooting to his legs. He walked to the fridge to grab himself a beer. " One more month and I will be a happily married man. I just can't get it out my mind."

"Are you nervous yet?"

"Yeah, but its an incredible nervousness. I'm not scared, more anxious than anything." Jason hands dragged excitedly through his hair. " It's like, I can't explain it. Trini is just everything I've wanted in a woman and if anything, I wish I had saw it sooner than later. I'm just in pure euphoria when I'm with her and to feel this way for the rest of my life is just... just..." Jason was lost for words.

" An amazing thing." Tommy agreed chuckling softly at Jason's bubbly voice. Never in all the time he known Jason had he heard him so in love. He had always known Jason to be a one-woman-man and dating someone only if he saw a future with them, but he was the last person to see that woman to be Miss Trini Kwan as _the _one. The two had always been friends, longer than even he knew them to be, but seeing them in love was just right. Tommy couldn't imagine two people more right for one another.

Tommy also couldn't help feeling a tad bit jealous.

With a short lived career in racing cars to pay for his education towards a degree in paleontology, he had little to no time to fill in the voids of his romance life. The dull pain of being single didn't always bother him. Tommy was more than happy having more time to himself to travel to digging locations with his class and partners in paleontology, like Anthon Mercer and Smitty James. Tommy became passionate with his studies and that passion lured him to a career as a science teacher. He enjoyed life, still had his friends, and students to keep him going. But when he came home from long tiring days, only to be welcomed by ungraded papers and the eching silence of his house was when he ached for the company. He had a two story house in a perfect isolated greenery area that he loved, but to share it with someone... someone he could spend the rest of his life with was what he was ready for now. Jason and Trini's relationship only made that dull pain more sharp, despite his merriment for the two.

" So when did I lose you?" 

" What?" Tommy shook himself from his thoughts, Jason's voice flooding back into ear. " Sorry, man, I guess I'm more tired than I thought."

"You should just tell her you still love her and get it over with."

" Wha- who are you talking about?"

" Don't act like in idiot, bro" Jason took a swallow of the bitter cold drink. " You know who."

" Is it that obvious?"

" We have this same conversation nearly three times a week." Jason pointed out. " You two have been dancing around each other ever since you two resolved things years ago."

"Only those years ago… when I finally had the chance to put things behind us, I was with Kat." Tommy signed. "I never got a chance to tell her..."

"Tommy," Jason spoke. " You're an moron. We all know. _Kat_ knows."

"Gee, I liked you better when you were coming on to me." Tommy joked with a laugh.

"Shut up, dude." Jason said though laughing himself. " What I mean is that you and Kim sneak glances at each other from across the room, get those goofy smiles with one another, say what you have is friendship when there is clearly way more _still_ there…Tommy, it's like a rerun of our high school days."

The doorbell sounded.

" I got to go, I think Trini's bringing her work home with her again."

"Alright, man. Take care and tell Trini, I said hi."

"Will do, bro." Jason was already heading towards the door. " Bye."

He hung up the phone and answered the door. Two police officers stood there, their walkie-talkies speaking in gibberish in the still air.

Jason frowned.

"Mr. Scott?" The tall officer asked him, decked head to toe in his dark uniform. The younger officer remained silent. Neither gave anything away, but their eye's were soft and

"Yes." Jason felt something run cold within him. " What's going on? What are you here for?"

" Mr. Scott, may we speak to you." The second officer inquired softly. " In private, sir."

"What do you want?" Jason stared at them, through them, the warm spring winds becoming cold breaths against his skin. He was sure his flesh was licking blue with frost. For some unknown reason his heart ached and twisted in his chest.

"Sir, if we can speak with you inside."

Both cops edged forward, Jason's movements anything but inviting as they entered. Jason kept his eyes from wavering, his body becoming tense as the air slowly became heavy.

_Trini why aren't you home yet, _He thoughts becoming fearful without reason.

"Tell me what you want?" Jason voice nearly peeled to reveal his plea.

" Sir…Mr. Scott, there's been an accident."

* * *

**Three Days Later...** The news hit everyone in a matter of hours. 

On highway 69, a gasoline truck exploded catching other vehicles in the hands of it massive flames. Each news reporter described the accident as an unexplainable tragedy in various words, but none stood out so boldly other than the names of the people caught in the explosion.

Especially when one of the few deaths was one of their own.

It was three days, since the accident had occurred and here they were reunited on one of Angel Grove's warmest days that spring produced that year with heavy dread no ranger could defeat. Together they stood on the grass fields staked with tombstones and sprouted variations of flowers all bending to the puffs of soft wind. The coffin glazed mahogany in the sunlight, webbed in the shadows of the trees limbs hanging overhead. The earth gapped open like a scar cut open to receive the casket.

The reality of this moment never hit so hard till Kimberly Hart saw it with her own eyes that Trini Kwan was really gone.

* * *

**Flash back three days ago**

**Florida 12:06am**

She stumbled into her house with her gym bag draped across her shoulder and several bundles of grocery bags cutting off the circulation in her fingers.

"This is the last time I try to make a single trip to the house." She muttered wincing as the plastic loosened around her slender fingers a crashed into a heap on the floor. " Oh no, the eggs!"

She bended down and pulled a package of three cartons of soy milk off a dozen eggs. Yoke and thin eggshells soiled the plastic bag and little dribbled to the carpet. Still the mess was one she wasn't ready for at nearly close to midnight.

" Great, perfect even." She continued to grumble as she settled her shoulder bag on top the coffee table to release the rest of the load she held. " Thank goodness for twenty- four hour grocery stores, but if I keep doing this after a long day of work this is going to kill me."

Quickly, despite the pain in her neck and shoulders, she ventured through her loft towards the kitchen to collect some paper towels to clean the mess. She then unloaded the plastic bags contains in to their proper place and celebrated by kicking off her tennis shoes and sweatshirt off her petite frame.

She crashed on to her sofa couch the soft cushions inviting her instantly to comfort she had been craving for the entire day. Kimberly knew to be grateful when life had given her so much to be thankful for. The many years of training as a gymnastics had paid off.

At the age of 18, she participated in the Pan Globels, taking home nothing less than gold with the vigorous training she received from the best in the country. With those all around wins she took part in other numerous gymnastic events held world wide, traveling to a new country every few weeks, all while maintaining her independent studies for the University of Florida over seas. On hiatus from the trails, she graduated with a degree in business and sports education, with a dream to one day acquire her own studio. Now, retired from competitions, she worked at the gym that trained her, as an assistant coach and routine choreographer. With enough experience under her belt and nearly enough money, she could invest in a decent studio soon enough.

Kimberly swung her feet to floor in order not to get too comfortable too soon. She pulled out her binder from her shoulder bag and went over the class of students she had to look over and come up with routines with by the end of the week.

_Ring. Ring._

Her cordless phone rattled in its carrier across the room. Kim sighed, though appreciating the gesture for someone to call her, she despised their care with exhaustion. _But wait, who would call me at this time of night, _She wondered, answering.

"Hello."

"Kim."

"Tommy?" Kimberly's breath caught in her chest as a smile fluttered to her lips. " Hey you, it's been awhile. Did that swiss cheese of a brain of yours miss place my number-"

"Kim." Kimberly frowned, stopping instantly at the softness of his voice. She recognized it too well. Knew him too well. Something was wrong.

"Tommy what's going on?"

"It's Trini…She was in an accident today."

"Wha-Is she okay? Was Jason with her?" Kimberly eyes went wide with terror as she lowered herself in to one of her kitchen chairs.

"No, Jason wasn't with her. But Trini," Tommy's voice cracked with the sign of tears. " Trini didn't make it, Kim." 

"What do you mean? She's strong; she's one of us. What do you mean she didn't make it?" Kimberly knew what he meant before he said it. Hot tears already rolling fatly down her cheeks.

"Trini's dead."

Kimberly dropped the phone. She didn't want to hear anymore, she couldn't. Kim covered her ears trying to keep the thought of her best friend being dead out of her mind. _No, no, no! _Kimberly repeated over and over in her head. She was sobbing now, the words spilling from her lips in pleading cries.

"Oh god, please, No!"

* * *

**Present Time**

_" Dear God, as we stand beside this open grave, in this silent city of the dead, we commit this body to the ground, and we commit the spirit, together with every sacred interest of our hearts, into your keeping, praying that you will deal graciously and mercifully with each of us, until we too shall come to our final resting place, through the riches of grace in Jesus our Lord. Amen."_

Kimberly fell into the aching silence with hot tears raining down her face as Mr. and Mrs. Kwan stood up from their seat and laid long stem white roses on top the coffin. She tore her eyes away and gazed up at the man beside her with a sorrow filled heart. The entire service, Jason never raised his head to look at the coffin. He sat perfectly still and in silence, no tear nor cry escaping his lips. Jason just wasn't Jason anymore. Kim knew he was experiencing something no one should ever experience, when Trini died a part of her died along with her, but for Jason, it was all of himself. 

"Jason," Kimberly placed a hand on top his own, his non-reaction to her touch shook her even deeper. " They're waiting for us." Trini was an only child, but when her parents had saw the five of them together, they had instantly taken to them as one of their own unquestionably as had each of them. That was why they were allowed to take an initial part within the ceremony, along with eulogies that had taken part before hand.

Jason looked at her with sullen, haunted eyes she didn't recognize ever to be on his face. Standing took him every ounce of strength, walking took twice that, but some how her hand fell into the limpness of his that in the past would always guide her through anything. Now he needed her to guide him. Behind them, Billy and Zack fell in to place.

Jason was the first to lay down two long steamed roses, one yellow and the other red, while Kim placed a single pink rose beside his. Zack followed suit by placing a deep red rose next to theirs and Billy completing the gathered bundle with another white rose.

"Good bye, Trini." Jason whispered so softly, Kim wasn't sure if he had actually spoken.

Kimberly looked to Zack, his eyes glazed and looking ahead as if through the coffin itself. Billy wiped at his eyes with the sleeves of his dark coat, though he sobbed softly trying to maintain his composer. Lastly, she looked to Jason. He stared at anywhere other than the coffin before him, just completely somewhere else all together.

She gave his hand a light squeeze, but she realized as soon as she took hold of it, she was merely holding on to dead weight. Jason never gripped back.

Together they returned to their seats, remaining standing as everyone in their seats stood together to bid one final farewell. Kim's eyes swept over the guests, Trini's family, numerous friends she didn't recognize with various rangers throughout the years there out of respect for the lost of one of their own. Directly behind her in the next row, the former zeo team, including Justin stood closes to them. Her eyes met Tommy's, something passing between them.

Him being there gave her a sense of relief.

* * *

**Kwan Residences**

The last of the guests left as the evening began to settle in and the day began to cool. Slowly, the last of the people left the house after paying their respects. Kimberly watched them go, secluded at a far side of the living room, watching the few that remained to talk.

Mr. Kwan was looking through photo albums along side the large entertainment center, lingering there for most of the evening. Mrs. Kwan, ever focused on her guests, kept busy, straightening up everything that had been neat. In the center of the room, Billy and Zack talked quietly together along with Adam, Tanya, Aisha, Kat, and Rocky. Tommy and Jason had retreated to the backyard a long time ago. 

Silently, she prayed Tommy got him to speak. Jason had spent the last three days retreated inside himself, not even so much as speaking a word to anyone. Not even to her. It would be ignorant to say he shouldn't act the way he was, but Jason couldn't keep the pain inside himself forever. Even in the toughest situations during their ranger days, Jason always released his anger in kata or talking it through with her. Since childhood they were so close, Tommy even questioned if at some point they were more than friends, but she and Jason only looked to one another as a sister and brother, and had kept their relationship just that. Something even blood couldn't define them as less than.

Jason would always be the one she ran away from home to when her parents were in a clash or when a guy broke her heart or when she just didn't want to be alone when her parents worked long nights. When they was little, Jason, Trini, Billy, Zack and herself would take camping trips near the outskirts of the woods and gather around the campfire, listening to the terror stories Zack would tell in his ever-theatrical manner. When she couldn't sleep those nights and was afraid the others incase they would laugh or tease her, Jason would lay his sleep bag next to hers and hold her hand throughout the entire night and not say a word when morning came. Jason looked after her, held her whenever she wasn't aware that that was what she needed. But she always did and he always knew.

As she would confine in him, he confide in her. When there was a girl he liked in school and needed advice, he would go to her rather than Zack, who declared himself 'king with the ladies'. Jason went to her when he questioned his abilities as a leader, cried on her shoulder when he blamed himself for the lost of Tommy's powers. When he stepped down from leadership and lost his gold ranger powers, he called her. When he fell in love for the first time with a girl named Emily, their break up, and when he found a true soul mate in Trini. He made sure, she was the first to know. There was so much history between them to know that they shared an unbreakable and solid relationship.

Till three days ago.

"Hey." Kimberly breath caught in a startle as a hand placed softly against her arm with a gentle voice.

"Hey 'Sha" Kim blinked away her coming tears.

"I just came to see how you were doing." Aisha smiled softly at her friend and offered her a kleenex from a box placed on top a table nearby. "If you needed anything. We haven't really had a chance to talk, since…"

"The funeral, I know." Kim sighed, softly. "Everything is just messed up, Sha. We were all rangers, you know? Fighting bad guys that could destroy the world and that had fired weapons at us, and sent giant monsters. It never occurred to me that we're still human, that even _we _are not immune to death. No matter how much power we had in the past."

"Its unfair," Aisha agreed. " Its okay to be angry and unhappy about what happened. You know I'm always here."

"I'm just worried about Jason." Her eye's slipped shut. " I never seen him like this. And for something like this to happen just a month before the wedding…"

Kimberly ran out off words, the pain too blunt and nauseating for her. Tears ran down her cheeks, like cold ice down her heated face, dragging her mascara along. She felt her throat begin to tighten again and clamped her bottom lip down between her teeth to keep her cry from spilling out. Aisha wrapped her arms around her and embraced her friend tightly.

"You don't have to keep this in, Kim. Trini meant a lot to all of us; you, Billy, Zack, and Jason grew up with her. Don't let your anger and sadness eat you up inside. Adam, Tanya, Rocky, Kat, especially Tommy and I want to be here for you. Let us help."

" No," Kim pulled away and caught what few tears escaped through her lashes. She pulled free from the embrace and looked Aisha in the eye. "Not now, Sha. Right now, Jason needs me. He's my best friend, my brother. He needs me right now. My grief can wait."

"Kim…"

"I have to go, Aisha. We'll talk later." Kimberly walked away, leaving Aisha to look after her from the secluded corner, wounded.

Kim approached her group of friends, touching Billy and Zack's arms lightly for them to follow her to speak in private. The three gathered in the kitchen in silence. The light caught the bale yellow and white flowered wallpaper in an illumination that seemed too bright for such a gloomy day. Kim rubbed her eyes, her vision too accustomed to the soft light that lit the polished wood floors and detailed walls and rimming with its darken reddish brown veneer in the living room.

Clearing her throat, she looked at her two old friends with tears starting to line her eye lids. _Be strong, _She willed herself.

"We have to talk to Jason." The strength in her voice veered slightly as the words were said. She cast her eyes to the floor when there was nothing else said. She continued. "I'm scared for him, I never seen him like this, ever. We need to talk to him."

There was nothing said.

" We tried that, Kim." Billy's voice was heavy with sorrow. Kim looked up at him to see him lay the weight of his body fully against the counter behind him. Like hers had been, his eyes leveled only with the floor below. She looked at him more closely this time, the way his hair was a few inches longer and unkept, his face unshaven and starting to shadow with stubbled hair. " To try again we would just continue to fail immensely."

Kim shook her head not ready to accept those words.

"We have to talk to him." She inhaled. " If we all went to him together, we could get some kind of response and-"

"Kimberly, enough!" Kim froze to Zack's sharp and unnatural tone of words. She met his hard eyes, ones she had never seen before in all the years she knew him. Unlike Billy, Zack still looked well kept, his face shaven, except for the short clipped mustache along his top lip and haircut close to his head. His posture was more tensed and demanding. " Jason just lost his wife, nothing we can say or do can bring her back. That's it."

" We all lost her, too, Zack. All five of us grew up together, stood by each other through everything, and when Jason needs us the most, you want to bail!" Kim's own voice began to rise. " Trini and Jason are our best friends! There is no way neither of them would give up so easily if one of us needed them. Trini would want to us to be there for Jason."

"Trini's dead!" Zack got up to Kimberly's face as he said the words and gripped her shoulders, shaking her. Kim felt as if she had been slapped. Zack looked down at her with wide eyes, tears escaping down his cheeks. His words shook with those tears as he spook.

" I went out there. I went out to Jason and I talked to him, I got a reaction. He doesn't need us, Kim. Jason _does not_ need us! He needs her! He needs Trini and we cannot do that; we cannot bring back the dead!" Zack let loose her shoulders, turning his back to them as he wiped at his eyes with the sleeves of his suit coat. He placed his hands in his pockets, but didn't turn around. " I need to get going. The Broadway production offered me a part as one of the main dancers a week ago."

Zack glanced over his shoulder at Kim.

" I had told Jase and Trini when I got the first word of the part. Trini promised to cheer me on from the front row when the show came to town." His mien broke with despair and more tears fell. He turned away again. " My plane leaves tomorrow morning."

He didn't say anything else.

Zack left the kitchen, leaving Billy and Kim in his wake only to watch him go. Kim heard the front door open and close and knew Zack was gone. She covered her face with her hand trying to hold her composure together, trying to keep herself from collapsing to the floor.

Desperately, she went to Billy and grasped his handed tightly within both her own. Before she said a word, she could see him slipping away from her, like Zack.

"Billy, listen to me," Kim placed her fingers along the side of Billy's cheek. " We have to stay together. We need each other. If we just talk to Jason, we could get through to him. We could get through to Zack, too. Billy?"

Billy shook his head, tears tearing through the rough brush of hair on his face.

"I can't manage that, Kim. I don't think I can maintain the strength for anything anymore." He continued to light shake his head from side to side as he sobbed.

" Yes, you can, damnit!" Kim didn't mean for her words to come out so harsh, but she needed Billy to be with her. She needed him to stand by her and go through this with her. They had always been better together. Always. But slowly, they were falling apart. She placed her hand over Billy's heart, leaning her forehead against his in a weaken plea to keep him with her. " Billy, please, I can't do this without you. Please."

They both sobbed now. The plea twisting in the air like the last breathe of smoke a dead campfire would make when its skin was blacken and dead. Gently, Billy placed his lips on top Kimberly head, kissing her so softly.

"I'm sorry..."

Billy slipped away, leaving Kim to fall against the counter and slide tearfully to the floor, emotionally stricken. The sound of the front door closing was a brick crushing her heart. She was alone, truly alone in this. Kim shook, feeling coldness cut down the spine of her back and tide over her body causing goose bumps along her arms. She hugged herself and leaned back against the lower cabinets of the counter.

"Trini, what do I do?" She spoke quietly to no one. " What do I do?"

No answer came.

"My daughter was the peace!" The shout caused Kimberly to jump. She stood and made her way back to the living room. Aisha, Tanya, Adam, Rocky, and Kat still remained, though Billy and Zack had left moments before. The group had engaged a conversation with Mrs. Kwan, while Mr. Kwan remained at the entertainment center. Kim walked around the group for a closer look at Mr. Kwan.

He was turned towards them all with a single picture in his hand, held preciously in his trembling fingers. Mr. Kwan saw Kim and walked slowly towards her.

"Trini was the peace, the calm. Serene, she was. The tranquility." He stopped in front of her and looked at her so deeply, something stirred within her. Something powerful. Strengthening. " Zack is the spirit, Billy is the knowledge, Jason is the strength, and you, Kimberly, are the heart."

He placed the picture within her hands and closed his fingers around hers. His eyes never wavered from her own, piercing her sight like a dart.

"Together you formed a balance. One that is very rare. With out one element of that balance, it topples, but cannot be destroyed, no! With heart it rebuilds." A soft smile formed on his face. Mr. Kwan was always one of those people whose emotions she could never decipher, but rather felt. Why that was she never knew, but now she didn't know what to make from this.

" Mr. Kwan…" He squeezed her hands softly and held her gaze.

" Promise me, you'll never forget these words."

" I- I promise."

Mr. Kwan released her hands lowering his hands to his side trembling, suddenly seeming so lost and confused himself. Tears went down the lines that wrinkled his face in uneven patterns. Mrs. Kwan came and placed both hands on top Mr. Kwan's shoulders and kissed his cheek.

"It has been a long day." Was all she said in a gentle voice. Quietly, she led her husband out the living room and up the stairs in soft steps, leaving the rest in the room alone.

Kim looked down at the picture in her hand. It was taken nearly fifteen years ago. The five of them stood side-by-side, arms around one another smiling at the camera in content. Zack was at the end, next to herself. Jason was in the middle with his arm around her waist and his other arm slugged around Billy's shoulder, Trini hugged tightly to Billy's side. They all wore bathing suits and beach towels. Their feet dusted with sand and the view of ocean water hung in the back round.

Kim smiled softly at the image.

"What is it he gave you?" Kat inquired after Mr. Kwan perplexing words fell to rest.

"It's a photo of us over a decade ago." Kimberly showed them the picture. "I almost forgot about this."

"Maybe it's time we left," Adam said, taking hold to Tanya's hand. " Mr. And Mrs. Kwan seemed exhausted. I think we all are."

Kim nodded, barely hearing his words. She touched the tips of her fingers against the aging photograph of the faces she once knew. Of the best friend she would no longer see again.

"Kim," Rocky came up to her. " You know you can come with us. We could give you a ride to your hotel."

"Or I could stay with you and maybe talk." Aisha offered coming to Rocky's side. "You don't have to be alone."

"Um," She rubbed the headache that began to develop from the tears. She collected her breath and said. " No, you guys go ahead. I have to be here with Jason, he shouldn't be alone. I'll call you guys tomorrow?"

"Sure." Kat replied with a sad smile. " Tell us if you need anything and tell Jason and Tommy we'll talk to them later?"

"Okay."

Kim hugged them each, trying to maintain her best bravery smile as they walked out their door. She stood there for a moment, the empty living suddenly more cold as the grandfather clock against the wall ticked away in to the night. Carefully, she rolled up the photo in her hands and made her way to the backyard where the cool winds incased her in its hands.

The grass was perfectly clipped and vegetable gardens fully grown beneath the rich soil. The stars peaked out the dark canvas of the sky around the even brighter moon, frosting the ground below with a bluish crème glow. The streetlights in the soundless neighborhood reached in to the yard in faint glows, making it enough for Kim to see Jason and Tommy sitting at the picnic table nearby the wooden fence.

Kimberly approached them, silently, not disturb the whisper of Tommy's voice in the air. Jason was hunched forward, soulless and broken, his hands covering his face. Tommy held his hand on Jason's back, rubbing it across his shoulders, trying to offer him as much comfort he could give or was allowed. He looked in her direction, both their faces dimmed in the fusion of glows the sky and streetlamps offered. She didn't have to see him to know he wasn't getting through to Jason any better than anyone else had those last three days.

Kneeling in front of her brother, Kim took his wide wrists in to her small hands and held them, hoping to catch his gaze. He didn't raise his eyes to her nor did he move to her reach for her back. For a long moment, they were just still, the backyard stagnant all together.

"Jason… you don't have to be strong right now."

And just like that Jason let go.

Jason grew up a born leader, a natural valiant, but that night all that shed from him, leaving him exposed. Frail. Defeated. Kim held him as tight as she could, hands pressing firmly on to his back as to give to Jason's needs as well as her own.

They had both suffered a great lost.

Still, Kimberly held Jason fully aware that he was fighting to contain himself in front of her and starting to pull back from her touch.

He was going to walk away from her...

...And he did. No goodbyes, no words all. Like Zack and Billy. And Trini.

Kimberly could feel the last of her strength crumble into nothing. They all left her and she didn't know what to do. It was always the five of them through everything, even distance couldn't break them. But never had they allowed themselves to think of what would happen, if one of them were to ever passed away. The answers were unbearable. Kimberly knew cause she had just recieved it. The bond between them was broken as were them.

And Kimberly just knew, it would never be the same.

* * *

** Authors Note:**

There's the next chapter, it took me awhile to write and edit, but here it is. I hope you enjoyed. I want to point out that I had and have no intents to relate this story to Thuy Trang once or ever as one reviewer has claimed. Trini is a **fictional** character. I respect Thuy Trang and her family, wholeheartedly and never wish to upset anyone. I'm sorry if I have.

**Please review!** This is only the begining to the adventure I have in mind. Kimberly is now the main character of this story from here on out. The next chapter will come along as soon as I finish writing it. Thanks!

**EclispingFlames **  



	4. Hazing Darkness

* * *

** Hazing Darkness**

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

The eyes watched. 

Studied and observed.

It was a talent that was forced on to the being till it became the natural thing to do. It was simple really, so many before its time were eager for blood, a planet inhabited with creatures to shape into slaves for their bidding. None of them took the time to study. When you studied you learned to win.

So here it was, eyes lapping over each rangers face till their demeanor burned in its mind. It was an amusing thing what death could do to a person; it imagined it was the opposite of love if it could feel such a thing. The why death could drive a person to the darkness of themselves, tear them apart to the pitfall belly of depression. But it was different them. Everything was when it came to these particular people: The original power rangers.

They were special, indeed.

There were theories very few knew that it was willing to take the chance to unveil, if rather these theories were the truth or myths. It had no other choice. It wanted revenge and if time were what it took to uncover these things, it would gladly take the leave from servicing other empires.

The act of diplomacy to the plan had so far proved favorable. Thanks to the yellow ranger's inquisitiveness.

It smiled.

After so many years, all them were still so eager to jump back in to their long retired duties. Some how the yellow ranger knew of its presence and stuck her nose through closed doors that should have never been opened. Little did the ranger know was that what lied inside was much bigger than she knew.

Still drained from the massive attack on the lone high, it could only wait. Watch and study as its forces were recruited. It would be a long while before its next move. It only staled its discovery for a while, but one day someone would find out the truth of Trini Kwan's death and by then it needed to be ready.

Cause the power rangers can crave revenge as much as it could.

All they needed was the tiniest direction.

* * *

_He let her guide him to the sofa chair, never wanting to let her hand go. She eased him down softly, his hands catching on to the both of hers as he ran his eyes over the silk crimson robe that nestled smooth, exposed skin underneath. He pulled her to him, craving more touch, more of her body to intoxicate him. Her long legs revealed themselves, slipping through the short length of silk red and framing perfectly at his waist as she straddled him._

_He kissed her, arms tightening her so tightly against him self she seemed to melt within his chest, hearts and souls colliding in the brink of ecstasy. It wasn't enough, it never was. He slipped in the taste of her lips, her tongue teasing him with Cherry Popsicle and crème, her favorite desert; his only favorite from now on._

_His large hands pushed along the curves of her back making tide pools in the dark ocean of silk and crimson in to heated storms as he collected bunches of the fabric within the claws of his fingers. She pulled him tighter, legs clamping his sides and fingers weaving through his hair. Her back arched, a plead for more of his much invited attention, and he answered her sucking in the skin of her neck all the way down the sensitive spot that rested at the base and beginning curve of her shoulder. He flicked his tongue till her hips bucked and whined for him to take the skin firmly between his lips._

_And he did._

_Her nails made crescent moons through his shirt as he braced her body against his arms as she started to back away from him in a reel of indulgence. He needed her touch, even the loss of inches became miles from her intoxication. He pulled her back into an embrace of hunger and just touched her. His hands went down her back to crest her hips and squeeze thighs, before they traveled back up pass her neck and shoulders through the raven strains of her hair. Her long hair glistened in the moonlight, capturing the portrait of midnight skies._

_He crested her face between his hands just gazing into her eyes. She smiled, inquiringly without any spoken words. The tears became too much for him to contain, as her face became a mosaic behind the mist that clouded his vision. She pulled him close to her, his face resting against her bosom as his wrapped them selves around her slender waist._

_She felt so warm, her heart beating beneath his listening ear. Each thump sung life, existence._

_He sobbed. His fingers wildly stirring the crimson silk she wore, just rubbing, feeling her till his heart would accept that this was real._

_"Don't go." He sobbed._

_Her fingers dove through his hair, pulling his eyes up to meet hers, before she crushed her lips hard against his. Her lips were cold. They parted, him gasping for life and yearning to pull her back close in to his soul just melting into her touch._

_She pressed her forehead against his._

_"I'm already gone."_

* * *

Jason's heart crashed against his chest in such intensity it caused him to nearly fall forward in his seat. He blink, eyes clouded and burned, sore within their sockets. His mind dazed, throbbed and pounded within his skull, demanding sanity as did his heart. All he wanted was her, Trini, his sanity and soul. His wife- to-be he would never see walk down the aisle just a month from now. 

A month!

It wasn't fair, not now nor ever, would it ever be fair. She didn't deserve this. He was ready to give her all she deserved for the rest of her life. His life… was gone.

Trini was all there was.

All he needed.

In what felt like a lifetime of servitude as a hero and leader to the world, he never knew he needed saving till Trini. She rescued him more times than any with and without her powers. Trini saved him the day she gazed at him, eyes swallowing him in whispered amusement and adoration Jason, himself, drank in and surrendering himself over too. Their first kiss, unexpected, swelling to the rising of thriving passion engulfing them within the other. The instant he knew he could spend every breath of his life breathing just for her. The day she said 'I love you', Jason knew he hadn't been born before then.

Jason would have stepped down from being a power ranger a million times for her.

His savior.

Instead, he went when the moment counted, when Trini needed him to save her. It was a mission with other rangers to stop the generals of the machine empire from resurfacing Serpentera and afflicting anew chaos on the world. Trini was his world, he never wanted to leave her side that day, after all they had a wedding to put the last finishes on and he wanted to help in any way he could.

* * *

"_Jason, go!" Trini urged him with soft chuckle as he held on to her from behind. He groaned nuzzling his mouth against the tender spot on her neck. He mumbled a childish whine, his lips tickling her by the gentle movement. _

" _Jason," Trini pulled away from him and circled in his arms to face him as she placed her hand on the biceps of his arms. " I'll be fine, but the red rangers need you. Tommy is counting on you to be there."_

_Jason looked at her, incredulously._

"_Tommy has been a ranger longer than every red ranger combined, I think he can survive one mission without me." _

" _First of all, Tommy has not been a ranger longer than all red rangers combined." Trini corrected, leaning a back in his arms. "Second of all, you know there is no one he would rather fight beside than his best friend…"_

"_I could think of someone-"_

"_Jason, I'm not finished." _

"_Continue. Or," He pulled her back close to him and kissed her. Trini accepted it, enjoying the taste of his lips and tongue. "We could just continue this conversation in the bedroom?" _

_Jason suggested in a hushed voice, rubbing his hand up and down her back till he felt the stern tension begin to loosen. Trini moaned, but shook herself from the trance. _

" _You're evil." _

"_The baddest." _

_Trini backed away to keep herself at a safe distance from his roaming hands. _

" _I know your heart Jason. I know you. Being a power ranger is one of the greatest things that's happened to us." Jason folded his arms over his chest as Trini spoke softly. "You can't honestly tell me that if you missed out on today, you wouldn't regret it." _

_Jason sighed, his hand rounding to the back of his neck as he met the perceptive eyes of Trini Kwan. She was right, she always was and he loved her for it. Trini smiled that damned smile she would get when she knew she had him stomped. That smile was enough to drive him crazy and send him hurling in to a spitfire of insanity._

_And he loved every bit of it. _

_God damn her for knowing it. _

_God damn her for doing it before he was on his way out the door. _

_Jason couldn't help but wonder if the world would really be in crisis if the team were short one red ranger that day. There were still nine others on the way. Still, rather the world was aware of what was happening or not, Jason needed to be there. He wanted to be there for one last time. _

" _I'll get my jacket." Jason caved, dropping his shoulders in a pouting schoolboy way. Trini laughed and smacked him in the rear end, playfully. "But when I get back, its straight to bed." _

_Jason went down the hall and to his room. The smell of rosemary fluttered his senses as he dug through his closet for a mini chest sealed by a padlock, he unlocked it and dug through the solid memories inside: new paper clippings, pictures, two communicators and morpher. He collected the things he needed, buckling his morpher on to his belt and clipping the communicator around her wrist. _

_His eyes settled in the open chest for a split second, before he returned to the living room where Trini awaited with his helmet and leather jacket in hand. _

"_Did you take you morpher out of the chest?" Jason inquired. _

_Trini helped him pull on his jacket. _

"_Uh, yeah, I took it over Tommy's house last weekend."_

"_Tommy's house?" _

" _I'll tell you when you get back." She handed him his helmet as they walked to the front door. " A couple of my colleagues are on a dig at Angels Torn, I was thinking I would drop by there to pass the time." _

" _You've been on digs all week."_

" _What can I say? I'm a hard worker." _

"_Trust me, I haven't forgotten." He said scanning her up and down as a fire rushed through him. "It's one of my favorite things about you." _

"_Bye, Jason!" Trini laughed, pushing him out the door. Jason pushed back, pressing his body tightly against hers for a kiss. He breathed in her scent, his fingers rounding them selves around her waist to the small of her back._

_

* * *

_

If he had known that would be the last moment he saw her….

Jason hunched forward, his head nesting in his hands. His heart clenched and his lungs tighten as he suddenly found it very hard to breathe. Over and over, he was reminded, in his dreams, in the house that sat thicken in silence…Trini was gone.

Jason couldn't find himself the strength to rise from his chair or flick the lights on. The colors, she painted, the house she decorated…. It was all her. He wanted to cry, scream, curse, tear out his hair and pound his fists in to the nearest wall till his skin broke and bruised with blood running hotly over his hands. He blamed, whatever, God that lurked in the heavens, Mondo's generals for resurfacing, and his cursed life as a power ranger.

He blamed Trini, the love of his life, for pushing out the door to leave, for working everyday that week, for being right about everything.

He blamed himself.

Jason stumbled to his feet and to the kitchen his inside twisting and straining till he felt that he might combust. He slammed up the cabinets, his hands shoving things aside in desperation to drown the flames. He found an un-open bottle of expensive Brandy his father had given to him as a gift upon his announced engagement to Trini. For all the few headaches within a ton of love, his father had told him.

Jason practically ripped the top off the bottle as he reached for a shot glass and flooded the glass with dark liquor to the rim.

"For all the headaches." He said, staring down into he glass.

He tossed his head back and gulped down the burning fluid till the belly of the glass was empty. He felt the fire flow down his throat and through body to his stomach, his head flooded with the drinks intensity, clouding images and voices.

Tears glazed his eyes, his body shaking with sorrow and anguish. The darkness in the house swallowed him whole and taunted him with memories. Jason gripped the glass to the point he thought it might strain and shatter in his hand.

"Trini…"

Gone.

Dead.

Forever.

Jason hurled the glass across the kitchen it shattered, pieces falling to the shadowed floor below. His eyes stared hard at the Brandy bottle in his hand.

"For all the heartache."

Jason grabbed the bottle by the neck sent the liquid plowing through the mouth of the glass container into his system.

For another night, everything in that house haunted him. There would be no sleep for Jason Scott.

* * *

Author's Note: This story is amazingly hard to write, but I love the ideas I have buzzing around in my head. I'm still extremely excited about this project, its just the time and effort to come up with a plausible story line is a little difficult. I haven't forgottena about this story though and I plan to FINISH it, so don't worry. Please, review. Updates will be slow, but I'm still writing for this. Please excuse the editing job, I'll come back to make changes, but I corrected as much as I could as of right now. 

-EclipsingFlames


	5. The Difference Between Whats Wrong And H

* * *

**The Difference Between Whats Wrong And Honesty**

* * *

**The Next Morning….**

* * *

Another cloudless day hung over Angel Grove seemingly to taunt and harass them in their days of grief. Tommy pulled the jeep into the driveway, the house alone an aching reminder of the hollowness Kim felt inside. The house was delicately painted, the grass was fresh and cut to perfection with a flower bed blossomed into full buds on the inside perimeter of the fence.

* * *

"_Kimberly!"_

_Kimberly smiled as she saw Trini come to the front door, her halo making her more radiant than ever. She walked off the single step of the front porch with a smile that could just open the very heavens and everything that just told Kim this was being home. It was never home till you see the faces of the people that you grew up with for Kim. It was never truly home without her best friend to greet her. _

_Kimberly felt her eyes tear as she hugged her friend, gathering the California sun that beamed down on them to drive away everything Florida related from her mind. _

"_Welcome home, Kim." Trini whispered._

* * *

"Kim?" A hand reached to rest on top her own. The touch was warm and awaking as they drew her eyes to the chocolate seas that gazed at her. The seas waved, rippled in a rising storm. "Oh, Kim." 

Tears left Kim's eyes and slid in hot crystals down her cheeks. Everything in her hurt, bled, screamed as if hell raged within her chest and erupted through her body in blazing tsunamis. For a long moment, she didn't know if she were breathing. Was she inhaling or exhaling? The air seemed too heavy to determine anything, her mind too hazed with a fading memory.

"I'm sorry…" Kimberly choked, air rushed into her lungs and she gasped trying to gulp in the fist full of oxygen that pushed in and out of her at the same time.

Tommy threw off his seat belt and leaned over to her as far as the stick shift between them would allow. He took off her own seat belt and embraced her, molding her body as tightly against him as he could in the awkward position. He dragged his fingers through her honey and chestnut hair, setting free the smell of fresh cut strawberries and kiwi.

He inhaled.

_God, _His mind serenaded in the memories of the scent, the softness of her hair around his fingers and against his cheek, the way her body felt against his own. Tommy could only say one word, the only word that bellowed every seething passion souring through him as he held her.

God.

Why? Because, the wild hunger, each and every cell of him, awoken to happened when Kimberly Hart pressed against his body. Her body, her soul, and her warmth was enough to push even Tommy towards faith. No mortal could do this to him. Kim was indeed an angel.

An angel completely broken in his arms.

Kimberly released her strength in wet rivers on to his shoulder. Her body quaked so hard he thought she would crumble into nothing in his embrace. Tommy knew it would come to this Kim was finally defeated, yet stubborn willed, struggling to compose herself.

Tommy pulled back from her, everything in him wanting to hold again as he was. He laid both his hands on either side of her face, her tears collecting in each his palms. Her lips trembled and face was red in a soft hue of rose.

"Don't ever feel sorry, Kimberly." He told her. He wiped her tears, wanting to kiss each place the wetness laid.

"I just miss her so much, Tommy." Kim sniffed and wiped at her face. Her vision cleared as she sat forward in her seat, looking pass the driveway to the front door. "Each day gets so hard without her here. I keep thinking of the times I never called her back, or wrote her, how I had all these opportunities to talk to her and to visit…"

She met Tommy's, hers still heavy with weary and more tears.

"Every second I'm alive just reminds me that my best friend is gone. And I feel, like some kind of terrible person for not visiting more or just talking to her everyday about everything and nothing." She looked down at her hands. "Whom do I go to now? What am I supposed to do?"

Tommy reached for hand and tied her fingers together with his own.

"You're anything but a terrible person. You're a beautiful person and Trini knew that." He placed a finger under her chin, wanting her eyes to meet his again, for her to read them and see the sincerity in his words. "And you won't be alone in this, I won't let you be. I'll be here for you, Kim."

Kim felt her heart soften at the sound of those words. The same words he said to her once before when she was looking into those same eyes.

" I know."

Together they climbed out from Tommy's black jeep, the warm heat hugging them in the folds of spring. Kim inhaled the spices the blooming season offered wanting to drive out her own pain within her to tend to the person who needed her. Tommy took her hand; it was pure instinct for her to accept as it were for him reach for her, it was everything that was natural, even after all these years.

Kim looked up to Tommy, eyes wondering up from their tangled hands, up his arm to his face as he lead them forward to the door. For a slight moment, she remembered him in white with his long hair down his shoulders and all around them was the beach and the ocean along that.

Their last day together was at the beach.

The last day before she went to Florida.

Now here they were, nothing official, just two friends that had walked across the bridges of the past to the present where they still found their comfort taking the others hand, like that last day together on the beach. They were both older, more matured without the weight of the world they fought to save so much on their shoulders everyday. They grew together and more importantly, grew apart with experiences that made them into the adults they were now and far from being the teenagers they were way back then.

Now when she looked at Tommy, she could see those changes thriving inside of him as much as she knew he could see inside her. She no longer saw the boy with long hair, but the man that boy matured into with stylish spiked hair dressed in black attire, nothing that symbolized his days as a ranger. Was it wrong for them to hold hands? Was it wrong for her hand to feel so right in his?

Was it wrong to want more at such a terrible time?

Kim held on to him tighter, his own fingers responding in the same desperate need to just hold on to her hand. The same need to keep touching her. Tommy gave her a warm smile that left Kim comforted that she wasn't about to do this alone.

Tommy rang the doorbell, the alert audible through the thick front door. When no one came Tommy rang again and then thumbed the door with his fist, hoping to get some response.

"You think he may have left?"

"His bike is still here," Kim let go of Tommy's hand and crouched to a nearby flowerpot, probing along the edges of the bush of leaves and blooms for the spare key. When she found her prize, she raised it up, the gold key glimmering in the sun.

"How did you know they had a spare key?" Tommy inquired with a raised eyebrow in his amusement.

" Jason's mom used to do this all the time when we were kids." She unlocked the door and stepped in, pocketing the key. "Jason?"

Tommy closed the door and followed Kim into the living room. Kimberly gasped, the coffee table was turned over and various objects thrown to the floor, littering the room to the point of nearly no recognition. Broken glass and holes in the wall the size of fists commanded the most attention within the room. Kim walked forward, eyes widen and heart clenching, as she circled through the mess.

"Look at this place," Kim stepped towards Tommy, his face mirroring her own. Tommy took a step towards her and felt his foot connect with something hard on the floor. Kim frowned, feeling ill to the stomach as Tommy raised the object, an empty, expensive Brandy bottle. Kim took the liquor bottle from him, the tiniest bit of liquid left within it, stinging her nose. She pushed it away from her in disgust. " Jason doesn't drink hard liquor."

"I know," Tommy shook his head momentarily stunned at the thought though he knew he shouldn't be surprised. "Jason?"

"Jason?" They both called for the former ranger as Tommy lead the way through the rest of the littered house to the bedroom door that was slightly ajar. Kim reached for Tommy's arm afraid of what they might find on the other side. Tommy pushed the door open, light flooded the room, unlike the front rooms and was still neat and in order, the bed completely untouched.

"Jason?" Tommy called softly, keeping Kim safely behind him as he stepped through the door. The room smelled of rosemary and blushed with the delicate shades of reds, soft yellows, and crème that liven and romanced the room beautifully. To the right, a conjoined master bathroom completed the master bedroom. Tommy's eyes wondered over the furniture the sun touched to the window where Jason's stood to his back to them.

"Jason, thank goodness. We were so worried about you." Kim sighed a breath of relief as she set loose Tommy's arm. Tommy stopped her before she could take another step forward. Kim frowned at his gesture, but followed his pointed gaze as he tilted his head to the wine bottle's neck grasped within Jason's fingers.

The two exchanged a concentrated glance.

Jason had yet to show any interest to their arrival, his gaze completely fixed to the backyard view outside. Kim noticed he wore the same clothing from the funeral the day before, his white dress shirt pulled free from his pants and un-button in the front and at the cuffs. His clothes were untidy and wrinkled, and his dress coat nowhere to be seen. From the faintness of his reflection on the window, his eyes were closed and head leaned forward till his forehead pressed against the glass.

" Jason?" Tommy touched his friends shoulder tentatively and concerned. Jason flinched, snapping his shoulder away from Tommy's touch. He spun around, face twisted in a drunken scowl as he noticeably swayed on his feet. His face looked pale and sagged with weariness and abandonment of any stable sanity.

"Don't you fuckin touch me!" Jason spat, holding the bottle tightly in his hand as his face erupted into a sudden madness. "Don't you ever fuckin touch me, Tommy or I swear…! I swear!"

Jason's eyes were flared open and wild with redness as he pointed a accusing finger at him.

"Easy, bro." Tommy raised his hands in the air as he took a couple of steps back, purposely keeping Kim safe behind him.

He had seen drunken rages before in his college days and knew how a persons mind could change with the delusions liquor. It was the reason why he never submitted himself to drinking too much. If liquor could persuade your train of thinking and lower your senses to cause a person to do things they regret the next day, he could only imagine what his actions as a trained martial artist and former power ranger could do, if the slightest thing provoked him. Not to mention the ability to give away his secret of being a former defender of the world in a drunken babble. Thoughts like that made drinking a big risk, at least publicly. If Jason had been drinking the entire night away, Tommy could only guess what he was capable of doing, and he couldn't risk any chances of letting his defensive down with Kimberly there.

"Easy? Easy!" Jason started to crackle with laughter, nearly doubling over as his ribcage flexed painfully and his vision doubled, making him dizzy. He laughed till that pain brought him to more tears that stung his eyes and coursed down his wan looking face, through the stubbles grown across his cheeks.

Tommy and Kim watched the transition faze over Jason's face, utterly lost at what to do. They were power rangers once, saving lives was what they had done for years, but the common theme was starting to show. There was a difference when it came to saving one of their own.

What could they do?

What words could they say to take away the pain of losing the one this man loved more than anything?

The sobbs faded into the pulsing hollowness of the room. Jason inhaled the ashy taste dried on his tongue, the sun breaking through the window captivating him with its dancing brightness that ate the room with the mornings Trini loved.

"You have no idea what it feels like to have..." Jason grabbed for his chest, his gaze lost in his reflection hazy against the glass' surface. The lines around his eyes folded darkly as he tightened them, forcing thoughts to calm and reach his lips before is despair bled through. " To have everything in your heart...your soul... just gone. To feel like you don't exist anymore, because the one that gave you purpose is..."

Jason broke, his hand peeling through his tangles of wild hair and over the rough and pasty skin of his face.

"You're right," Kim felt tears whisper down her face as she fought to keep her voice clear of her own grieve. " We don't have any idea what it feels like to loose someone we pledged to love for the rest of our lives the way you did. But you are wrong if you think that we didn't love her, Jason. You are wrong, if you think we don't love you enough to be here for you. To love you so much it kills us to see you this way."

" We want to help, Jason." Tommy injected, taking a step closer to place his hand gently back onto his best friends shoulder.

"Help?" Jason echoed softly. Slowly. He turned his soggy eyes to meet Tommy's concerned ones and stepped away to let his hand fall away. " Help me how, Tommy? By throwing it in my face that you got the one you love back? That Mr. Lengendary finally has everything he's wanted while I lost everything? Is that how you want to help me, Tommy?"

"Jason..." Kim said, shocked by the accusion.

Tommy's eyes widened at Jason's bitter and hot words. Each one hit him like a bat to the face and ax to the heart.

"Bro, that wasn't what I was trying to say..." Tommy shallowed, shaking off what was said. " Jason, you haven't slept in days, man. And you're drunk. Let's get you cleaned up, get you some rest, and we can talk later."

" Is that a command, fearlless leader?" Jason took a step closer, sucking in his lips and hands clenching. Tommy noticed how instantly everything in Jason's body tensed, offensively. " Huh? I asked you a question, Tommy."

"Jason, calm down, okay." Kimberly placed a hand on Jason's forearm, gazing up at him pleadingly.

Jason snatched his arm away.

" Why don't you back the hell away, Kim. When I need someone to cry and be a baby, I'll call on you." Jason snapped. Kim felt her eyes water as she took a step back with a wounded pride.

"Jason, that's enough, bro! Now give me the bottle," Tommy reached for the wine bottle clenched in Jason's fists. The liquid swished around inside the dark bottle as Jason jerked his hand back from Tommy's attempt to grab it. "Jase, you've had enough, man. Its time to stop!"

"Go 'head, Tommy, take it from me." Jason dared him, advancing closer. Tommy clenched his jaw as Jason stood tall with his eyes boring into him with a drunken rage.

"Jason, stop it!" Kim begged as both men stood nose to nose. "This isnt you."

"Take it from me, Tommy." Jason's hand slapped across Tommy's cheek enough to altar Tommy's gaze away from his hard glare. When Tommy took a step away from any further advance, Jason reclosed the distance between them, stabbing his finger hard onto Tommy's chest. " What? Too proud? Scared? You wanna be a wuss now? I said take the bottle from me!"

Jason shoved Tommy back hard into a dresser behind him, the piece of furniture clapping against the wall with a loud bang. Tommy regained his footing as Kim rushed to his side grasping his arms.

" Are you okay?"

" We're leaving. Now." Tommy pushed Kim towards the door, desperate to get her out the room, before Jason directed his debauched ways on her. Jason rushed forward tightening his hand around Tommy's wrist with an iron grip.

"Don't you fuckin' walk away from me, Tommy." Jason sneered, his intoxicated eyes ablaze. Tommy turned to him, cooly, making sure to keep Kim safely behind himself for protection. "I'm still talking to you."

"Jason, I'm getting Kim out of here, then I'll come back and talk to you when you're sober." Tommy stressed in a calm tone as he looked at his best friend square in the eye.

"You'll leave when I say you leave!" Jason's bottle gripped hand shot out at Tommy fast, but Tommy was faster. The red ranger ducked away from the swip of Jason's hook and hugged Jason close in a tight embrace. The bottle dropped to the floor, red wine staining the tan carpet below. Jason trashed in Tommy's arms, digging his heels into the floor and back pedaling till they both collided onto the bed. Jason twisted in Tommy's arms, throwing back his elbows against Tommy's ribbs as hard as he could. Kimberly screams for Jason to stop didn't faze him abit as he was able to wrestle his way on top of Tommy, slamming his hands into Tommy's sides.

Tommy swatted the attacks away, grunting at the painful contact. They rolled wild, tearing the blankets and sheets away from the bed frame and knocking down the lamp that rested on top of the nightstand. Tommy fought to catch Jason's hands in a grip, but his unruly attacks towards his face blinded him with each punch that made a direct hit.

"Its your fault!" Jason screamed, mounting Tommy and pinning him with his weight. His fists found an opening to Tommy's stomach away from his arms that blocked to protect his face. Tommy felt the air rush out of his lungs, then two hands grasping his throat in the split second he lowered his defenses. The air closed off completely as Tommy grasped onto Jason's wrists and face began to burn a bright red. " It your fault Trini's dead!"

"Jason get off of him! You're killing him!" Kim jumped onto Jason's back, wrapping her arm around Jason's throat to try to drag him away. Jason reared back under Kim's weight pulling at his neck. Tommy felt Jason's grip loosen enough and hit Jason back across the face. Kim stumbled back, falling off Jason's back and reeling back against the nearby wall, but Jason reared back and fell to his side on the bed beside Tommy.

Tommy rubbed his throat, massuaging the hand prints away and gulping in the air into his chest. Kim quickly went to his side, helping him onto his feet with a gentle hand to his brused face. Tommy grasped Kim's hand tightly as he made a quick scan to make sure she wasn't injured, before he looked at Jason, finally sitting up on the bed.

"Trini's death was an accident." Tommy said, still trying to catch his breath. " There was no way I or you or anyone else could have prevented it."

"You're wrong," Jason glared at him with the flames of hell. " I wasn't even going to go on that mission. I was going to stay home with her, be with her! But no, you had to drag me down with you, didn't you? You had to bring me back, again! I was done, I had moved on, when everyday you only worked to lure me back as if that mission couldn't have done on without me."

" You had a choice, Jason! Just like everyone else, you had a choice!" Tommy barked, stabbing his finger in the air. Kim held onto his hand tighter. " You didn't have to go!"

" You knew I was done, Tommy!" Jason shouted, standing up. " You knew I was done with the ranger business forever, because I had Trini. I was getting married, moving on with a life that for once didn't depend on me saving the world day after day. I wasn't the one that spent summers doing science experiments to make new powers; that's you! That's your life, Tommy! And you...you knew! I had told you that I wasn't going to go at first, but you wouldn't let it go. You wanted to relive the glory days and go back to the past that you can never let go!"

"I'm not a ranger anymore either, Jase."

"Oh, then why are you creating power rangers, Tommy?" Jason shot back. "You're stuck, Tommy. Stuck in something you'll never be able to let go." Tommy swallowed, Jason's words setting loose the truthful words in a flow of coldness that chilled him. " You're pathetic, Tommy."

"What happened wasn't Tommy's fault and you know it, Jason." Kim said coming up to Tommy's defense. " None of us could have prevented what happened. Trini's death hurt everyone, including Tommy."

Jason paced in a tight and small line before them, shaking his head in a fuming, silent rage, but Kim's words made him stop.

He chuckled harsely.

"That's right, Kim, defend him. Tommy's loving it. All the bitch does is cry to me about how much he wants you back. You hear that, Tommy? You got your wish. Kim's yours again. Get married, have children, have a life... because mine is gone." The air stilled as Jason looked at him with distain and bleeding hatred. " Thanks to you."

Tommy felt chills crash course through his body like showering bullets through his soul as Jason said what he did.

"This friendship is over. Stay the hell away from me and out of my life."

* * *

**Oliver Residence **

**12:42am**

* * *

Kimberly turned in her bed, blankets pulling tight around her body as the dreams stirred painfully in her mind. A cold sweat drenched her in the warmth of the room. Everytime she closed her eyes, Trini greeted her with open arms in a fast forward of over fifteen years of friendship. It started in the first grade, the class had field tripped to the park to learn how to play vollyball for the class picinic that would hold a school tournament for grades one through fifth. The teacher had thought it would be a great idea to get some practice in to show up the older kids of the school. 

It was needless to say that Kim poor at the game.

The entire class would laugh at her, because she could barely get the ball over the net much less hit the ball at all, even when it was tossed lightly to her. The struggle to prove herself wore and the teasing pushed her to tears till she ran away to drown them out.

That's when she met Trini.

An exotic asian beauty even at an young age, tapped shoulder, and before she knew it, her hugged her close without even knowing her and bring her out of her tears. Trini spent hours that day teaching her to play the game, both occasionally bursting into giggles as they traded conversation on their similar likes and dislikes about everything that wondered in a life at that age.

By the end of that school day, Kim walked away with a mean vollyball underhand and a new best friend for the years to come.

From the first day she met Trini, trasitioned to all the times they spent together the years after that going through first crushes to first boyfriends. To fights that always mended into make ups and over night sleepovers at one anothers houses to dealing with the immaturity of Zack's practical jokes. To becoming power rangers and saving the world on a daily basis. They went through everything through the happiness and tears and Kim relived everything in her mind from the planting of the seed to the bloom off a rose that withered in a fatal road massacre.

In her head, Kim recrafted the last few days in her head to an alternate reality where Trini was still living. Still calling her everyday badgering her to fly her ass to Angel Grove to bicker with her on why shopping was the key to a blissful life, both of them knowing that Trini hated shopping nearly as much as she hated the thought of marrying Lord Zedd. A comment that Trini knew still gave Kim the willies, since she had nearly did married Lord Zedd, thanks to his fondness of her.

_"Now you know how serious my loathe for shopping is,"_ She would say with a laugh, everytime she saw her tremble. But in the end they both knew Kim wouldn't put the issue to rest.

Trini never died in her dreams.

It was a bittersweet thing.

It made waking up to the true reality like that instant moment you rolled over in your bed sleep , believing there was more matress beneath you than there was before you fell to the floor in a rude awakening.

Kim sat up with a start, sheets binding around her legs beneath the blanket as the image of Trini's face hazed away slowly in the coldness of her sweat. Louder than the darkness, Trini's voice drizzled through her dreams to whisper in her ear; Kim felt the realness of the voice as if Trini were talking right next to her. Her heart ran fast and hard cycles within her chest.

Kim swung her legs over the edge of the bed, whipping away the slick moisture from her forehead onto her hand. She looked around the dark room, momentarily forgeting where she was that night, before she remembered that Tommy had taking her back to her hotel only to collect her stuff, before he took her home with him.

_"I don't want you by yourself tonight." _Was all he said when she had questioned him. After the encounter with Jason, they had both left shaken, but Tommy refused to talk about it. Kim knew Jason had hurt his pride, and more importantly, had broken his heart. Jason had been a brother to Tommy since high school, he related to him more than blood could prove and now their friendship was taken from him. Drunk or not, Tommy took Jason's the words hard and in his attempt to appear strong, Kim still carried the ability to see pass the veneer and reach the heart of his true feelings.

Apart of Tommy was deeply destoried. And Kim had a strong feeling that Tommy didn't want to be by himself that night as much as he didn't want her to be.

Kim climbed out of bed, walking to the otherside of the guest room where her suitcase sat still open. She took off her tank top and matching bottoms stained with her perspiration and tossed on a large, dry t-shirt to sleep in. She went back to the queen sized bed, pulling the sheets and blanket back taunt, then laid back down to their cool touch and just laid their to stare up at the ceiling.

Kim didn't know rather or not she wanted sleep to come.

* * *

**Tommy's Room**

* * *

Tommy pushed the ground away from him, squeezing his body up to hang over the carpet below. He didn't know how many sets he did that night, he lost count somewhere after fifty. He did set after set of sit ups and crunches followed by the use of hand weights of twenty-five pounds till his body screamed with fire. 

He just couldn't lay to rest; he couldn't sit still to sleep. It hurt too much. Not the muscles in his body, but the thoughts, Jason's words from before echoed through his mind like an overplayed song. It wasn't something he could shake off, Jason's eyes haunted him and for hours the punches he had dealt pulsated to remind him.

_"Its your fault!" _

The worlds spiraled in his brain, resounding over and over, driving Tommy to push his body up from the floor again faster.

_"...You had to drag me down with you...!" _

_"...Go back to the past you can never let go...!" _

Tommy grunted, driving his arms taunt as he held himself up above the floor, sweating and panting for breath. He brought his knees under him as he sat up and collected the sweat from his bare chest and face with his discarded shirt. His arms burned and flexed with tension from the strain he forced on them, but he gladly welcomed it to numb the pain in his heart.

A soft knocking at his door alerted him to the presence that stood within his doorway. The vision was enough to take his breath away again. Kim stood there watching him in a black tshirt that only grazed her thigh, exposing two athelically toned and smooth legs that trailed down to her bare feet with dark polished toes. Her hair laid delicately on her shoulders, only lightly tossed from a pillow that she had rested her head against . Her make up was cleaned from her face, showing the clear skin underneath and a pair of candy pink pouty lips.

Everything about her drew Tommy's attention. From the way her t-shirt kissed her thighs, making him envy the fabric to the skin of her lips that made him lick his own. Kim was definitely no teenager anymore. And God, every last part of her body demanded that he was educated on that fact.

Tommy wasn't even aware that he had stood, before he felt her hazel eyes soak up the sight of his body without a shirt.

Kim's gaze swallowed up the mouthwatering sight before her, haven't to yet fully witness the beauty of the boy that matured into a greek god of a man. He was definitely more toned than she remembered, chest and stomach rippled with hard, smooth skin ripen perfectly do to the years of martial arts, and appearently, late night workouts sessions. On his right forearm, a near fist sized tattoo of a yin-yang embodied with flames stole her attention and made her wonder if there was anymore on that body of his. His thick thighs were clothed in dark blue shorts with his muscled calfs and feet unclothed.

The spike hairdo was soften without the gel and laid lazily on top his head, begging for her fingers to be combed through. The goatee completed the look making her crave for him in a way she never felt before as she watched the way his tongue drag along his soft lips.

Kim watched the way his eyes feed off her, not at all self conscious that she caught the way he focused intently on her legs and the pronounced swells beneath her shirt and back to her lips. Kim chewed on her bottom lip, a liquid fire roaring through her as the attention hit her strong.

The sight of him, the attention, his presence made all her thoughts desolve to nothing blanketing her with a shower of clarity and replacing it with the intoxication of the unspoken words filling the room. Kim stepped in all the way not bothering to see where the crumbled shirt in his hand fell as he met her halfway. In just the mere inches away the burning of the others body called out for the others touch, but both met the others eyes hesitant at what to do.

Apprehensive, if what they wanted was right after so much had happened already.

"Kimberly..." Tommy whispered as Kim closed the distance enough so that her bosom pressed against his chest.

Her fingers ran over the ripe muscles along his arms, tracing every grove and curve, her finger tips walking over the flamen yin-yang steadly. Tommy's hands cupped the curve of her hips, her small body framing against his broader one to make a perfect fit. His hands ran along the shape of her sides to the deep sloop of her back that swelled to the beginning of her behind. His fingers caught onto her shirt eager to raise it the rest of the way up her skin.

Kim rounded her hands up and over his shoulders to around his neck, before diving her fingers through his tossled hair. She massaged her fingers through his short locks the way she remembered drove Tommy mad. His forehead rested forward against hers, a soft moan, leaking through his lips like music.

_And he claims he can't sing, _Kim mused licking her lips as she taste his sweet breath, dripping with his musical gasps.

His hands ran up her sides, her shirt trailling along after them till the hem came to the top of her upper thigh. Kim sucked in a breath as one hand clumped up the ends of her shirt at her thigh and the other dropped to touch her bare skin. Tommy squessed and drove his hand up to teased the skin at the side of her thigh, before he sank down to reach both hands behind her knees, picking her up and wrapping her legs around his waist.

Kimberly hugged her arms around his neck, hands roaming around the top of his shoulders and down his arms as she leaned back enough to gaze into his eyes. Tommy walked them to his bed, supporting both their weight as he laid down on top of her, gazing down at her so lovingly. The contact of his waist between her legs was killing him beautifully and he had no doubt in his mind she could tell.

Kim squeezed her legs around him tighter as he collected both her hands within each of his own, his body sliding up abit to cause both their breaths to stop within their chests. Tommy finally gave in, the need to inhale the candy of her lips driving him insane with hunger. Kim moaned sweetly into his mouth as he opened her mouth with the key of his tongue and sipped in her taste. His hands gripped gently into her hair allowing her arms to set free around his back as he pulled his body up against hers tighter. Harder. He needed to be desperately closer, insider her. Into her heart again, her soul.

He needed _her_.

And she needed him.

There was nothing else.

For one night there was only them, the rest of the world, their thoughts, and pain just fell away into oblivion.

* * *

**Oliver Residence**

**The Next Morning... **

* * *

The whistle rang through the sweet flutter of his dreams, stirring his consciousness till his eyes peaked open to the light illuminating through his room. The shades were still half way open, he never bothered to close them, since his home was secluded outside the city of Reefside within the woods. Peaking outside his window, the tall towers of pine trees, waltzed light in the breeze. 

Tommy hugged his side, expecting a warm presence to greet him and complete his morning, but there was nothing. That cleared away the rest of the sleep from his eyes. He leaned up on his elbow, gazing at the faint telltale signs that someone had indeed slept beside him. The pillow was lightly sunk in as was the soft matress that rested the feminate shape of hips and a slinder torso and a pair of arms. The sheets and blanket were drawn back, pulling the cover along Tommy just below his wasit where the dawning of a V shaped at his lower torso.

Tommy threw back the cover from his naked frame and sought his shorts and t-shirt that had been discarded on to the floor. He whipped his hands over his bleak facet, hoping he looked descent enough for his guest to see him for their first morning together.

Their first morning.

Did he just imply that he hoped for more?

Tommy fought the grin playing on his face as he shunned the opposite thought that there could be no other nights like last night's all together. What was last night anyway? Was it about silencing the thoughts that made them restless? Grieving? Solace? Or was it about more than that?

Maybe even a hope for a new future.

Trini came to his mind, wrapped up in all the anger Jason blew on him about him being the reason of Trini's death. The thought burned all engraves of happiness. He wondered into the bathroom, ignoring the mirror to splash cold water over his face to cool the dull burning beneath his eyelids. The brief moment his eyes drifted closed, he remember the shooting pain he felt tidal wave through him.

Tommy gazed at himself in the mirror, imagening himself over the past years as a power ranger from the green ranger to the white to the red zeo to the red turbo. Who was he before Rita enchanted him with evil that day? What did he live for?

Sure, he had martial arts, he loved it with a passion, but somehow, in the deepest cavern of his mind he knew the truth, he was unfullfilled with just that life. He did martials since he was four, a hobby his father got him into so he would have something that was stable throughout all the years they moved from place to place. Tommy found it hard to make friends and associate, and in place of that martial arts became his level ground, his best friend. He breathed and lived on it till he went to bed to sleep on it only to wake up the next day and do it, again. Then one day, he moved to Angel Grove, a place that his parents had decided to call their final home.

What he came to know as his true home.

Tommy started high school invisible, unsure and too shy to present himself to people outside of a kindly smile. Till one day he voiced himself in the only way he knew how, a martial arts tournament against the city's best.

Jason Lee Scott.

That was the day that started it all.

The day his passions exceeded all he thought was capable by becoming a super hero, then the leader, which years later ranked him, what most people believed, the most honorable.

Lengendary.

The best of the best.

But he never saw any difference, all he knew was that he loved what he did, grew passinate about it, excelled in something beyond his common ground of solace. So did Jason's drunken accussion hold truth? Could Tommy not let go of his ranger days? 

No. He couldn't.

It was like taking away the part of him that made him into who he was today. Being away from that stability terrified him, because away from it he was afraid to face who he was before it. So when he passed on his powers, he found racing cars, when that couldn't fullfill him anymore, he pushed to move on and find another life that was remotely normal. He went to school, gained a PHD in paleontology that of course, reminded him of early days of being a ranger, then somehow jsut when he thought he could retire, he discovered the dino gems, which possessed the power to create new rangers.

Of course, that was information he couldn't rely on to his co-workers, Anton Mercer and Terrance Smithy.

That was a personal project.

Maybe Tommy was stuck in this life, but you could only be stuck for so long, before you finally let go and moved on.

* * *

"Kim?" 

Tommy rounded the corner to the kitchen expecting to see the petite woman rummaging through his fridge or watching the only television in the livingroom, but in each room silence greeted him causing him to fear the worst. He stood at the border between the two rooms and listened tentively to the sounds within the house.

_Did she leave? _Tommy thought, thinking that lines were crossed the night before that never should have been. _Was she upset? _

"I'm here," Tommy spun around to the voice, the sunlight through the open door praising her as an angel, before she shut it out and locked the door. Tommy could only look at her not knowing what to say or do as he gazed at her in just single tshirt from the night before. Even in the morning she was beautiful, looking back at him with honey pooled eyes.

"Did you think I left?" Kim said smiling softly as she stepped forward with a mug molded within her hands. Tommy watched the steam shimmer up from the mouth of the glass, then glanced behind him to the stove top where a midnight blue tea kettle sat still hot with steam slipping through the openning. " I hope you don't mind. I found the tea bags in the cabinent near the sink and made me some. I forget how beautiful California is in the spring. I went outside to admire it while you slept in."

Tommy smiled softly, ringing his fingers through his hair with that boyish grin that made Kim flash back to the first days she knew him. He bit down on his bottom lip lightly making her fall in love all over again as the first day she met him.

Kimberly couldn't help it.

Even the littlest things like that stole her heart away.

Seconds slipped between the two as they gazed at one another expecting for the other to say something, anything that could settle the anxiety that littered them both.

The fear and guilt.

The bliss and completeness.

Past and present.

Neither one of them could get past what happened with Jason the day before. His words, his accussions, and truth. Trini had died only four days ago and they had drawn to each other in a way neither of them had before with one another, driving by the need for comfort.

But could it be more than that?

Would it be wrong if last night was more than that?

"I wasn't going to leave, you know." Kimberly said taking a seat at the kichen table. She placed her mug on top the table, gazing down at the soggy herbs within the tea bag. When Tommy didn't make a move to join her she patted the seat next to her with a gentle smile.

"How long have you been awake? You should have woke me, I could have atleast made you breakfest." Tommy said with a boyish grin as he sat next to her, watching as she turned her body towards him. She pulled her legs up to her chest into a tight ball as she raised an amused eyebrow and a gave him a widening smile.

"You cook now?"

"Pasta." He admitted sheepishly. Then added with a small chuckle. " And coffee. Or tea, since I know you prefer it."

" A man who can make me tea." Kimberly chuckled along with him, scooping her long hair over her shoulder. "Thats the kind of guy that'll impress my parents for sure."

" I remember your parents loved me." Tommy said, reminising about the day he returned to Angel Grove to not only reprease his green ranger powers, but to meet his high school sweethearts parents.

Kimberly bit her bottom lip, looking at him in a way that made him recall all the days she used to look at him that way.

" I think it was because they knew how much I love you."

Kimberly paled at her choice of words and looked away under his indistinguishable gaze. She wasn't embarrashed, maybe she should have been, but she couldn't be. Was it too soon to admit the truth? That she missed him? Missed his presence, his eyes, and touch. Was it something he wanted to hear? That he shared?

Kim started to correct herself, the silence stirring too much apprehension within her, but Tommy broke the stillness before her.

"Love still?" Tommy inquired tentively, watching her mouth open and closed to speak, yet finding no words. Tommy raised a steady hand to touch her fingers on top the table, both of them gazing at the others hand as they held on to the others. Tommy met her gaze, just as curious as his to what was happening between them.

"Kimberly..." Tommy began.

"Tommy..." Kimberly said at the same time.

They both smiled at one another, loosing themselves in the others eyes once again.

" You go first." Tommy insisted with a light squess to her hand to assure her.

" I don't even think I know where to begin." Kim admitted bashfully, pushing her mug away from her, before she laid her free hand on to their embraced ones.

"Lets just be honest with each other, okay?" Tommy said, scooting forward to the edge of his seat. He pushed back a chestnut strain of her hair that tickled her cheek, then ran his fingers over the skin it touched. "Say what you feel and I'll do the same."

" Tommy, you've been there for me, since day one, you know? And," Kim sighed wanting to say so much, but coming up with so little in her rapid flood of emotions. She looked deep into his eyes, carried away in his loving gaze and suddenly felt the words come alive on their own. " Every since the funeral, you've been there for me. Even before, miles away, you've become my best friend. Always supporting me and somehow knowing when I need you, before I even admitt that I need help to myself. And last night, when I came to you...I want you to know it wasn't just out of solace or mournfulness, it was... more. You're more than that."

" You're everything to me." Tommy leaned forward, touching her fingers to his lips as he felt his heart quiver to her words.

" I know." Kim admitted lean forward to touch his cheek with her hands. " God, I know. And I wish so much it didn't have to take a life for us to find out that life...is too short when we both knew for so long how we felt. Last night... was the safest I've ever felt, Tommy. Just being with you, having you holding me in our sleep. And waking up next to you... I've never been so happy in my life."

"Me too, Kim." Tommy admitted, running a hand up her arm and to her face. " More than you know."

"What are we going to do?" Kim said after the minutes slipped away of them just gazing at each other, remembering last night and dreaming of what the future could hold for them." About us? About Jason? What do we do?"

Tommy shook his head lightly as she dawned to him her own remourse after Jason's words the day before. How could they hide what Jason already knew? What they just settled into something anew?

" I don't know, Kim." Tommy said tightening his eyes. " Jason seemed more angered with me than anything; you were just there. He blames me, not you."

"What happened wasn't your fault..." Tommy shook his head, suddenly feel as overwhelmed as he had yesterday. The wounds were still fresh and raw to the recollection of words his best friend, practically his brother, had said to him. He stood leaving the comfort of his havens hands, immediately feeling undeserving of them to comfort him.

" But what if he was right?" Tommy finally questioned outloud, the cold thought icing the warmth of the air around him. He felt his eyes begin to sting as he turned away from Kim, straining to compose himself. " I'm the one who had to convince Jason to go, Kim. He told me he didn't want to fall back into the nostalgia of being a ranger again and I convinced him otherwise. There was enough rangers to handle the mission without him and we both knew it. I knew it, but I didn't want to go through another mission without my best friend, my partner, by my side."

Tommy felt the tears slip down his cheeks and his body quiver as he recalled everything.

" If I never had got him to change his mind, he would have never came along and Trini would be...Trini would be..."

Kimberly was by his side instantly as Tommy choked out the words through his unbridled sobbs. She held him, his arms grasp on to her tightly by the waist as he began to sink to the floor below. Kimberly knew him better than anyone; he was a valient in every way, always a leader even when he didn't have to be anymore. She knew now more than ever that he hadn't mourned, hadn't let go, till he tended to his team first. It was his job; it was who he was. Kim would have been stunned by the fact she was witnessing his vulnerability, but she had seen him like this one time before. Years ago, when his brother had passed and he found he couldn't confine himself to Kat. That was only a few months before the two zeo rangers two year relationship had ended on mutal agreement and no hard feelings.

Even then, after everything, Tommy showed his vulnerbility only to her, unable to hide as she couldn't bring herself to do with him.

Now this time was worst. Now, Tommy blamed himself over something he and no one else had control over, and that alone stunned Kim as she hugged Tommy's head to her chest, crying softly along with him for Trini and not seeing Tommy's pain before.

"Look at me," Kim said framing Tommy's face with her hands. His face was twisted with pain and grief and his posture slumped as she lowered herself on to her knees to gaze at him. "Jason was wrong to say what he did, because none of it is true. What happened was not your fault, Tommy. None of it was your fault; you did nothing wrong. It was still Jason's decision to go not anyone elses, okay?"

Tommy nodded slowly as he sniffled, his sobbs residing into a soft cry.

"But he's right about me not being able to let go." He bowed his head forward in her hands. " Being a power ranger is who I am, Kim. How do I let go of who am I?" Kim frowned of his words not knowing what to say. When there was nothing, Tommy stood, taking her hand within his.

" I need to show you something."

* * *

**Authors Note: **So sorry it took so long for me to update, but it did cause I had trouble on starting the chapter. I think I may make the chapters for this story a monthly thing, so I can produce larger ones like I've been mostly doing, then still have time to write chapters for my other story and rewrite both. 

Also, incase youre wondering, there will be a female teamup in this story only alittle later, I'm going through a rough patch right now, because we're going to go through the Dino Thunder season through the key episodes. Not many only like 4 of them and all in AU, since I can't remember much of the season on the spot. Also, I think I'm going to have Ninja Storm run the same time as Wild Force, so that would have already passed and be done with. Um, what else?

We're about to go through a passing of an entire year in the next chapter, so I'll try to make it understandable for you guys. I just have to figure out how I'm going to do it. Haha. **Please review!** Like I said I'm still going to finish this story, so no worries about that. I haven't forgotten. Reviews keep me motived and going as most of you were kind enough to do for me with Light Crystal. **Review, review, review! **Comments are welcome, but no flames cause I'm not cold. I got some hurtful flames (just 1 or 2, I belief) and I understood the reason for them, so if it bothers you that Trini died, then seriously keep reading or dont read at all.

**EclipsingFlames**


	6. Pangs Of Conscience

* * *

**Pangs Of Conscience  
**

* * *

Kimberly leaned against the plane wall, the small window unleashing the hues of golden peach spilling into autumn orange below the plumps of clouds. She couldn't sleep, every time she shut her eyes more thoughts dawned to oppose the setting of the sun outside as the airplane sailed through time zones of the states below. The last four days had fluttered pass like a dream within a nightmare, until the day had come where she found herself facing the reluctant path that lead back to the life she left behind. In a few long hours, the plane would touch down in Florida, which had for years been the home away from home. A residence that paved the way for opportunities that mounted into her accomplishments, and quickly perished into nothing in just one trip back to her true home, Angel Grove. 

Trini's face kept slipping into her mind, hauling along a massive wave of emotion that made her question how she could do anything without her. To say she couldn't live without her was an understatement, since Trini was apart of every mile stone of her life. She thought about Jason. Everything he said to she and Tommy only days before; the haunted image of him slouched against the window seal with the empty bottle of booze tighten in his hand. Seeing him...remembering the way he was that day killed her inside, but she knew even then she wouldn't be as deadened as him. She wouldn't be as out of touch and vacant from the world.

She had Tommy.

It wasn't for certain rather they were officially back together, but they were firmly placed in the others life as something more than just friends. Right now was just too soon for either of them to rush into commitment, despite that one night and few kisses of solace up to her departure between them. But they loved each other, the passion and feelings were there, maybe never left, and neither of them could deny them if they tried, but the timing wasn't right. They were still bridged apart by states, before she would move back closer to Reefside. That much of the future she did know: she was going to move back to California to be with Tommy for real this time. That was a promise they had made to each other. Their old puppy love and high school love bird days had evolved above and beyond their first interpretations of the word, and soon they would explore it to the fullest.

That was something well worth waiting for not from the time she boarded this plane back to Florida, but since the day they first met.

Plus, Tommy had commitments of his own he needed to see through, before she came back.

Kim's eyes whisked shut, her breath inhaling into her lungs and a slow and steady, as she remembered one crucial thing about Thomas James Oliver that she should never have forgotten.

He wasn't considered legendary for nothing. And with that thought alone, she had to believe that his abilities as a ranger would protect him just as much as he wanted to protect her, until his mission was done.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

**Two Days Ago...**

* * *

The cold surface of the floor ran up her legs in cool streams of needles and pins, but she couldn't feel it as she spun in slow circles in the chill of the basement. Or at least, it would be a basement if it was filled with junk or flooded to the ankles with water like every average basement in America. But then, you would have to be like every average tenant for that to happen. 

Not a former power ranger.

For Tommy Oliver, a basement could be a command center. When Tommy had said he had something to show her, Kim didn't know what to expect, but it was safe to say she didn't expect this. Who knew a simple dinosaur model in Tommy's study could open a doorway through the floor to something like this? The entire room was obviously man made, an underground chamber as wide as the bottom perimeter of the house above. Everything looked modern styled for whatever unique greatness it withheld that just simply left her speechless. All around, the walls and floors were smoothen dark tan stone, engraved with dinosaur prints that seemed to glow with their own light. Lab tables along the walls held expensive equipment she couldn't even begin to comprehend how they operated. Dinosaur fossils and little gadgets clashed from different times amongst mounds of charts and graphs. At a far wall, a line of computer screens hung before a desk and three chairs on a risen part of the floor; a more secluded corner with dark mats and exercise equipment were set up.

Kim shook her head in amazement, before she stopped and set her eyes upon a table that sat in the center of the room. Something caught her eye on the surface, a heap of stone with smoke exhaling down to the floor in white puffs. Three tiny glimmers of light lured her till she stood before it and caught the full sight of three stones of three colors: red, blue, and yellow.

" They're called Dino Gems," Tommy circled to the other side of the prise possessions on top of the table. " Their from a meteror rock that crash down to earth millions of years ago, whipping out the entire dinosaur population. When I found them, I recognized their power, instantly. I hid them here, so no one or nothing, could use them in the wrong way."

Kim lips fumbled mindlessly at lost for words as she finally met Tommy's stoic gaze.

"Tommy... What exactly are you trying to say to me here?" Kim felt like she was being sucked into the past again upon the idea that boiled in her mind. Tommy swallowed, silent at first as he slipped his eyes away from hers almost abashed about what he was revealing. But instead of saying anything, he went to a discrete corner and picked up a silver case with the trademark of a footprint as the rest of the room.

He sat the case on another nearby table, clear of anything on the surface. As if its only purpose was to hold what was contained inside that box. Tommy turned the opening to her, unclasping the locks.

" When I found the Gems, I created these incase their powers ever needed to be harnessed." He opened the case for Kim to see the matching color coded items; the inside of the case collected the light within the room to illuminate them in their greatness. Kim felt her breathe being carried away again as memories overtook her and lured her to the table. Her fingers grazed the red morpher, her finger tips trembling as she dared not to pick it up.

"Morphers," Kim breathed enchanted.

"Dino morphers." Tommy stated, watching her carefully as she gazed down at the three morphers in awe. " Combined with the gems, three suitable beings can become the next Power Rangers."

Despite the fact, she knew those words were dawning near, she gasped. Her mind inhaling and trying to process all this new information, as she bored her eyes into Tommy's in reverence of what all this meant.

"Tell me everything," At her words, Tommy couldn't help the pride he felt for this woman, gracing her with a small smile, before he withdrew all he withheld from her for so long. He unmasked everything from himself till he had nothing left to give, not wanting to hide anything from her.

" For the last few years, I've been doing experiments on mixing dinosaur DNA with technology. A project my partner and sponsor, Anthon Mercer got me into early in my studies of paleontology. I don't know what I expected to get from this, but the passions that overcame me from our old ranger days got to me, and soon I was indulged in the thought that this could be done. And when I found the gems, I knew I couldn't pull away from this project.

" I have co-workers who would love to get their hands on something like these, its all about competition, even in the science field and in the wrong hands, the dino gems could do some serious damage to the Earth. That's why I have to stay close to the center of the project in order to discover any more gems and to make sure our other projects didn't malfunction."

"What other projects? You think there are more dino gems out there?" Kim inquired, folding her arms as Tommy walked up the couple of steps to the mainframe of computer screens and gestured for her to sit.

" I know there are more gems out there; how many exactly is undetermined. Think of it this way, the meteor that whipped out the world of dinosaurs, definitely wasn't the size of a quarter. It takes a lot more than that." Tommy shook his head at the thought as he rebooted the computer.

The screens enlightened collectively as they hummed with life, each one dazzling with swirls of number and letters in green, like clips right out of the Matrix films, till a row of them sat still spelling: Welcome. The image faded and more page images letter, Tommy pulled up a map of Reefside, the city pulsing within other landscapes that remained still.

" That pulse you're seeing there, detects dino gem activity that I borrowed a sample of the ones I have energy to detect it." Tommy typed in a few things into the computer, dazzling Kim with more of his expertise with the equipment. Kim shouldn't be surprised, each ranger learned their fair share of science and technology once becoming a ranger. Still, just seeing Tommy so in command of his work made her smile softly. " When the homing device picks up any of the same energy traces, the alarms will sound, so I can hopefully retrieve it before anyone else does."

" I get why you need to get to the dino gems first," Kim said, after a moment of silence of letting the information set in her mind. " But why more power rangers? The wild force and the ninja storm rangers are still covering earths only threats at two different locations. What are you leaving out?"

Tommy gave a wistful smile as he turned his gaze away from her and stood.

"You're right, Kim. There is more." He walked down the the main floor, before he turned to face her, his face clouded with the shameful past he was about to reveal. " When I signed as a partner to experiment with dino DNA and technology research, Mercer and I succeeded in some experiments that I wish, I never allowed to proceed forward. We created otherworldly beings called Tyrannodrones, repugnant creatures that are way worse than the modern day putty.

" I had a close encounter with them a couple of years ago, when an concealed lab our work station was located on was destroyed, along with all of the research we did. We were attacked by our own creations, refashioned for destruction." Kim could only listen in disbelief, as Tommy shook his head dispirited, as he turned away from her. " Mercer disappeared sometime before that and I never heard from him again."

Kim's eyes flowed shut with frustration on how all this had gone on without her knowing.

" Why didn't you share this with me before?" Kim finally inquired. " I mean, am I the last one to know about this? Jason obviously knows. Didn't you think we should have known about this?"

Tommy knew she wasn't just referring to herself, but the other former rangers and their mutual friends.

" Its not like that, Kimberly." Tommy made his way back to her, taking her hands within his own. " I trust you more than anything, all of you. I just wanted to keep as much people safe without this information as possible. The power coins are still flauty without the morphing grid intact, despite the fact Jason didn't feel as much after effects as Adam. And the Zeo powers are not that reliable either. I couldn't take the chance of my burden expanding to all of you. Trini and Billy helped me build this place, along with another friend of mine, but like Jason, they only know about the dino gems, not the run in with the Tyrannodrones. All everyone needs to know for now is that this is a house for our ranger history to stay discret from the rest of the world. That was my first and only intent of this place."

Kim chuckled to herself, inspite there was nothing at all humorous as she stood from her perch. Everything was surreal. First Trini, then she and Tommy's relationship, now Tommy discovering a new power source for new rangers.

" Tommy, there's other rangers...other people..."

"None who know about this project; none who are responsible for all this."

"Right..." Kim sighed, rubbing her eyes. It was too early in the day for this. Trini's death had taken everything sensible from her heart, Tommy's friendship and love restoring half of more than she expected, but accessed and gave back just as much. Still, not everything was gained back so easily.

How do you go back to get what you lost? How do you keep your best friends from walking out the door; prevent the accidents from stealing lives; heal the soul of the person that was always the one that looked after you? How do you look forward in time at yourself, your friends, whom were all protectors of Earth and not see that the power couldn't protect you anymore. That just as easily as the next average human being, you can perish so easily. Maybe it was the power or the vain superority that every ranger selfless shunned from mind, but here was the truth: being a power ranger didn't make you average. It was beyond normal daily living. You were super human from power, which was why it was a hard thing to recover from alot times for most rangers, if not all. Something alot harder than an energy drain; it made you vulnerable without it.

As painful as it was to believe, Trini's death made a much harser reality that Kim never faced before. A death of someone she loved was the hardest thing thats ever happened to her. How do you let go another person you loved so much and set them loose into that reality?

"This is too much." Kim breathed heavily as her subconsciousness teased her weary heart with the projectiles of darken images.

Tommy held her instantly, watching her mien drift over the wave of thoughts that coursed her in silence. He didn't know what else to say; what could he say to justify his reasons for needing to do this. Tommy knew with his very soul that this desperate need to touch, to feel the other breathing, warmth and heartbeats, spoke endless volumns of what was hard to pass through in words. Tears spilt again, each releasing and comforting the other, only embracing. Swaying gently in a silent berceuse that sailed them on a moment of peace away from the storms that they could only ever find with one another.

Tommy soothed the tension in her back and shoulders with his hands, then crested her face and kissed the top of her face with whispers of his contentment to her. Kim molded her small hands with his larger ones and kissed his fingers, then stretched up to meet his lips that already begun their decent. Then, after a long moment lost in the others taste, they wrapped themselves in the colors and burn of the others eyes.

"How long do we have to wait, before we can move on?" Kim whispered, her arms wrapped around his waist. "What about Jason? Zack; Billy? Where do we go from here? What do we do?"

Kim's eyes begged up at him for answers, both knowing there may be none to give.

"We're going to be okay." Tommy told her the only thing he knew in his heart was true. Everything else was a blinding blur of unpredictability. "We're going to be okay..."

* * *

**(Present Day) **

**The Next Day In Angel Grove...**

* * *

Jason jerked. 

The clinging of wine bottles and and accessory furniture pushed to various routes around the rug of his floor shooting dull pains in his head, before he felt a clap against his arm and a call demanding him to rise. Jason groaned, tightening his eyes and concealing the pressure within his head even further along the edge of his entire mind exploding. His body desensitized; his limbs slowly verging into prickles and crawling along his nerves as his tongue dragged with the stain of thick ashy decay in his mouth.

Another outburst of demand called out to him, dragging him out of the dark room inside himself to the flooding of morning sun burning through his eyelids. If a robber was here to kill him, they were a little late, Jason Scott died a week ago.

"Jason, get up!" A hand followed the firm, authoritarian voice and Jason was hauled kicking and fighting to sit up on his sofa. Sun spots dazed him, but Jason rapidly and painfully, blinked them away as the light dimmed and his eyes refocused on his father standing before him.

"Dad?" His voice sounded rigid and his words shivered heavily of his tongue like heaps of bricks. " W- what are you doing in my...house?"

"Get up, take a shower and pack up somethings. I'm getting you out of this house." Mr. Scott held firm on his indirect command as he shoveled away more litter along the floor with the sides of his foot.

Jason blinked, stiffly turning his head to the side as the slight movement made his stomach turn and burn with his last glass of liquor. His father's voice magnified in his head, causing his nerves to pulsate ripple with sharp pains in his head.

He rolled his sore eyes away from his father and lowered his body back down to the couch, muttering under his breath, " Go away! This is my house and I'm not under your roof anymore."

"Maybe not," Mr. Scott pulled Jason back upright in the seat, much to Jason's distaste and slipping patience from the inner madness of his hang over. " But you are my son, and I'll be damned, if I sit back and watch you rot. Now get your ass up and pack somethings!"

Mr. Scott reached to drag Jason up to his feet by his shoulders. Jason stood, but staggered away in frustration and brewing annoyance. He didn't remember ever falling asleep on the living room couch. All he knew was the beckoning dance of Trini intoxicated him to tears in the bedroom. The bed sheets felt empty and robbed of Trini's curves and smell. The pillows still collected stray strings of her hair and the walls plumped with wails of her sighs and passionate song from all the nights they made love and held each other through the night.

Waking up in that room...in that bed without her made her absences more real when all he wanted to do was desperately retreat back to his dreams and spend each one falling in over with her all over again. Loving Trini was falling in love deeper and harder each day till your soul burst from your body. Jason never wanted to descent from that, so he seized it as desperately to it as tightly as he could.

"I'm staying here." He stated frimly. Jason tripped over his own two feet, the blood in his legs, yet to finish running its course to rid the prickling numbness. " I don't need you to baby me."

" And you don't need to be in this house."

" Its my house! Trini and I bought this house, and I am not leaving for anyone. Not even you." Jason choked between clenched teeth. His eyes stung and burned with mist.

Mr. Scott felt everything within himself hurt for his son. The way he staggered away from him and into the kitchen, not to mention the empty wine and other various liquor bottles and cans that trashed the floor, told the tormenting story of days he spent drowning himself in grief. When Tommy had called him the previous day, he and his wife had already discussed their options of finding help for their son. Like it or not, they were still Jason's parents, and even if Jason couldn't admit it yet, he needed their help and support, just as much as he needed his friends. Trini was loved by everyone. Mr. Scott had accepted Trini as a daughter to him even before Jason announced their engagement; he wouldn't let his son grieve alone.

" Jason, drinking yourself to death won't make it easier, son." Mr. Scott followed him into the kitchen, watching him pick through the cabinets. He caught the spotted scabs on top Jason's knuckles from the dents he placed in the walls and the anger he took out on Tommy a few days ago. " You can't let your memories kill you, son. Trini wouldn't want-"

"Stop it, dad!" Jason spun on his heels to face him. "This didn't happen to you, it happened to me. Don't tell me how I'm supposed to deal with my pain."

" Jason, you are my son. My flesh and blood." Mr. Scott stepped up to him, taking him firmly by the shoulders. "You're pain is my pain. And I'll be damned if I let you do this to yourself. I would die, before I sit back and watch you drink yourself to death." Jason trembled, tears swelling in his eyes as he hung his head. " Trini wouldn't want you to do this to yourself."

Jason cried, shaking in Mr. Scott's hands.

"It hurts so much...everything in here." He touched his hand to his chest as if he wanted to claw through his flesh to pull out the pain. Mr. Scott felt the tears surface in his eyes, pulling Jason tightly into his arms. Jason sobbed, the tears, the pain, flooding out of him in audible waves as he fell limp in his father's arms as he had done so many times in his youth over things that could never compare. " I just miss her so much. I want her..."

" I know, son." He kissed his son on top his head. " Your mother and I are going to help you through this, anyway we can. I promise you."

* * *

**Ford Center of Performing Arts**

**Chicago, IL.**

* * *

The back stage of the production collected the massive celebration of another job well done. Wine glasses were clinging at the rims and spilling over with sparkling white wine as the cast and crew sung and cheered for the completion of their first day of production. But when the curtains had closed and the audience sent away, so had Zack's smile as his false enthusiasm perished. This was the opportunity of a life time, playing Benny in the stage play, Rent opened all the doors Zack had been eager to run through his entire life, but Zack couldn't celebrate. 

" Hey cheer up, Z- man." Eddie, who played Angel in the play, skipped by still in his character's attire. The excitement of the night still fueling him. " I hear there's a lady out there who really wants to meet you."

For a split second, Zack believed it was actually Trini, but the thought was impractical. Sooner or later, Zack had to accept the fact she was dead, and that the promise she had made him about sitting front row center to watch him preform no longer existed. The former black ranger, descended down the stage steps dressed in his own clothing of blue jeans and a long sleeved creme' top that hugged the muscles underneath. He pulled his leather jacket tightly over his shoulders as if there were a sudden drift in the empty theater; with no audience before the stage, Zack felt completely deserted of whatever kept him sane. He scanned the first set of rows, looking for whomever had requested to see him. Why he had rejected the thought of slipping though the back door, he wasn't sure he would ever know.

"Zack Taylor," The feminize voice dripped with the spice and seduction Zack recognized all too well. As a matter of fact, he spent his entire high school career chasing after it. Now, it looked like he was the one found.

Zack turned to face the woman, eyes sweeping the beautiful sight before him. A long tan coat with matching boots, a matching set of cream colored cotton gloves, scarf, and hat, and light blue jeans covering shapely legs. Zack shook his head in disbelief.

" Angela..." He exhaled, his breath truly being taken away from him, as she giggled at his response. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

" Well, I wasn't exactly looking for you." Angela turned her gaze away, not daring to give him the benefit of the doubt. Zack chuckled softly, remembering all too well how she loved to tease to him.

" No doubt," Zack nodded, nonchalant. " So tell me how did we just so happened to be at the same exact place, at the same exact time?"

" Some friends of mine dragged me to see this play." Her face scrunched up to reveal her distaste at first, but then she smiled. " I wasn't particularly fond of the idea, but you can't live in Chicago and not love theater."

" I thought that was New York?"

" Whatever. The point is that I love it, now." She bit her lip, taking her time to stretch her leg forward as she edged closer. " The story was great, the singing was beautiful, and the cast... Well, they were worth coming here, by themselves."

Zack perked his ears. Never in all the history they shared together had he been on the receiving end of the flirtation without him being the one to initiate it. He glanced behind him, trying to keep the smile that spread across his face discrete.

He failed, immensely.

" Where are your friends? They didn't want to stay behind and meet the cast?" He inquired seeing that the theater was empty except for them two.

"I told them to go ahead without me." She didn't turn her eyes away from him as she spoke. " I told them there was someone I missed and wanted to see."

The innuendo of her words soaked in more irony than she could ever know. All Zack was sure of was that somewhere up in heaven, Trini was looking down on him, trying to make him dance and sing again, even if the audience was of one.

If only it were that easy.

Still, Zack found that he didn't want to be alone just yet.

"I saw a 24- hour cafe' not far from here," Zack began, smiling softly. " You wanna go get a cup of coffee or something? Maybe take a walk and catch up?"

" Make it a hot chocolate and its a deal." Her lips spread into a bright smile against the dim lit theater.

They gazed into the others eyes, grasping the others heart strings, so effortlessly. Zack licked his lips, remembering the distant taste of black cherries on top his tongue from the few times they kissed years ago. His thoughts were conflicted with another welcomed relief from the numbing grief.

Zack took Angela's hand and lead her out...

Unaware that someone had been watching him.

* * *

**Elsewhere**

* * *

" As expected each subject shows differential diagnosis noticeable even through their character traits; without the fifth element, the other factors are finding it difficult to be stable. Though not yet severe as soon as we had hoped, analysis' show that over periodic investigations our goal can and will be obtained. " 

Its eyes flickered darkly, before they closed and It exhaled to release the tension in Its head. All apart of mediation It had long ago mastered.

" We have yet to truly know; what they're experiencing now is the conventional human bereavement and vexation. This is not at all how I wanted to execute my plans, but seeing as how the yellow ranger posed a threat, this is how it will be fulfilled. Now, I must wait longer, and those rangers must stay under surveillance; I can't risk another exposer. These powers I retain must be rationed until the proper time has come."

Its general waited, offering its master the proper silence in respect, before it spoke.

" And what should be done about Tommy Oliver? His experiments with the meteorites has allowed him access to new power, a new team of rangers shall soon arise. If permission is granted, I can destroy him at once-"

"No! Its too soon. If Tommy were a danger to me, I could have taken care of him without strive; he is not apart of this, only the first five. If he, and the other rangers will be handled in a matter of time. What lies ahead is bigger than even the great Dr. Oliver. Besides, he has his own battles ahead of him, I feel another nemesis rising for the challenge."

"Should we take care of the yellow rangers father?" The servant asked once again much to Its annoyance. " He could raise suspicions, especially since he knows who his daughter is..."

"He doesn't know; that I know for sure." It stopped to think, before it said, " The old man is crazy, he's ill with some malignant growth inside his head, I believe the humans call it cancer. It's fatal; I can feel his life slowly sapping away into nothing within due time, as we speak. We have nothing to worry about, the rangers all heard his rambling, before at their little gathering and assumed nothing."

" And the pink ranger?"

" She may be trouble, I feel." Its fingers twitched; the threads of energy expended and barbed in a vertical circle before Its eyes. The energy pulsed, throbbed, and shivered as it brighten with white hot heat and melted transparently into the center to form an image. Kimberly Hart gazed with determined and focused eyes, as she watched one of her gymnast students hold her body erect over a balance beam.

Its jaw tighten in slight grimace.

" How she is the strongest component, I'll never know, but I will find out." It promised. " She must live..."

It twitched its fingers again. An arrow of energy left Its hand, crackling with white flames; the image exploded into a cloud of hot mist.

"...For now."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the long delay, but life got in the way. I didn't get deep into the dino thunder as I wanted to in this chapter, but the next chapter might do that, but it wont be about Tommy, I just want Kim to be involved in some of the events that happened. Plus, I want to introduce Kim to Kira and Hayley. Everynow and then, I'll have insights into Jason, Zack, and Billy's lives to show how their handling themselves, but not alot. Billy will be in the next chapter. I had to have Zack featured in the play Rent, because my friend at work is obsessed with it, but I think I said in a eariler chapter I wanted him to be a back up dancer or something, Iono. 

Anyway, I'm going to finish up the rewriting on Light Crystal starting tomorrow. For the people thats wondering whats going on with that, I have to admitt that I just havent been inspired for it lately. It was Legacy of Power (the fanfic by Kim) that inspired me to finish this tonight. She doesn't know that though. Anyway, keep reviewing, because they inspire me to go on. Remember, I respond to all reviews that have a contact available for me to do so (email, IM, penname reviewers).

**EclipsingFlames**


	7. Open Boxes

* * *

**Open Boxes **

* * *

**Nearly One Week Later...**

* * *

Kimberly tapped the side of her thigh with her fingers, playing along to the rhythm within head. She stretched up on her toes, her breathing steady as her eyes honed in front of her; everything around her washed away.

* * *

**Flash back**

* * *

_"Promise me, you won't forget me?"_

_"What are you talking about?" Young Kimberly giggled, eyeing her sillily despite the thoughtful and unsmiling expression upon her face. "You live just two blocks away from me, we go to the same school everyday, and I sit next to you in every class we have together. How can I possibly have the time to forget you when I see you so much?" _

_She giggled again, and this time she was rewarded with a small, almost wistful smile. _

"_I know," She averted her gaze, sighing. "It's just; you're going to be an amazing gymnast someday. Everyone's going to want your autograph and picture, because you'll be famous. And well...Just don't forget about me." Kimberly met her eyes, falling silent at the Asian's words. "You're my best friend, Kim. Everyone always says that after high school things always change. Friends drift apart and never see each other anymore, not even remembering the others name. I just don't want that to ever be us, you know?"_

_Kim nodded in understanding. _

"_You're apart my life, Trini; I'll never forget you, I promise." Trini grinned, bobbing her head lightly as they glanced down the shoreline at Billy, Jason, and Zack playing frisbee. The warm wind swiped delicately through the dark waves of her hair as her eyes settled back in front of her; her body swayed gently to the song of the ocean crawling along the sand. _

_Kim's gaze never left her as their conversation drifted into a closure of silence, but Trini never responded as she slipped back into her poetic musings. They had been friends for years now, but Kim felt as if she were meeting Trini for the first time. As if she were witnessing something utterly divine. Trini was indeed a beautiful person inside and out, but the depth of her perception was the most radiant. Kimberly knew that was how she forever wanted to remember her. _

_"What about me?" Kimberly whispered, grains of powdery sand flowing from her finger tips and catching to gentle winds. " Will you forget about me? When your off earning scholarships and going to prestigious schools- Will you still remember me? Would you still want to be a wannabe gymnast's friend."_

_" Always and forever, Kim." Trini said softly, staring at her, looking wiser beyond her years. " Because anyone one else would have a lot to live up to, you're my best friend."_

_" Always and forever." Kimberly repeated softly. "I like the sound of that."_

* * *

Kim's eyes snapped open as her body launched forward upon the mental trigger releasing in her mind. Her body was no longer her own; she was possessed. The slapping of her feet on top the mats felt like a floor of air carrying her, blowing in and out her lungs in a rage of freedom as her body sprung off the spring board. Her hands caught the vault, her mind barely conscious of the connection as her body twisted in flight. When she finally descended, her body tightens erect, and her arms open above her head as if desperately pleading to be lifted again off the ground. She couldn't think straight to finish it off with a smile. At that moment, life found it more suitable that tears closed the deal. - But nonetheless, her performance remained flawless. 

And she hated herself for it.

Gymnastics had been her passion, since she could practically stand, fulfilling so much within her that even being a ranger couldn't measure up to it. Kimberly wasn't the best ranger, she knew it, but where she lacked in ranger skills, she excelled in gymnastics. But even though doing gymnastics conciliated her, but they couldn't do the same for her memories.

Trini had been right- she had become a successful gymnast after all those years she lived in denial, but she had been right, also. Kim would never forget Trini. Even after death, Trini would live with her always. The only problem was that Kimberly didn't know how to live anymore when everything seemed to weigh so heavily on top of her. Gymnastics no longer felt like a passion anymore, but a daily duty to help pass time. Thanks to Tommy's new obligations, her stay in Florida had been extended in order to 'keep her safe' as Tommy had so charily put it.

Kimberly didn't like it. In fact, she took full pleasure in nagging him about the fact that she served as a ranger longer than any other female after her. That she more than once kicked a monsters ass without his help. Not to mention, she had to deal with Rocky, more than once, eyeing her goods clung within the tight fabric of her uniform, and battling PMS in the arms of battle. Of course, when the conversation wondered to that, Tommy immediately shut her up with a kiss, mainly to dull the image in his mind before she could lay on the heavy details of heavy blood flow and cramps. Kim would have kneed him in the groin for that, if his lips and the moment had not tasted so good.

Another pang in her heart.

How could she feel so good about anything after losing her best friend, nearly two weeks ago?

Her heart tearing, conflicted by her guilt and thoughts, she sighed. It was already well over an hour, since the gym had closed to the gymnasts, leaving Kim to piddled amongst the solitude in the company of her memories. She found herself needing to do this more often these days, needing to feel the tightening of her muscles and burning beneath her skin, to loosen all the pain and melt away the world, even if it were but a split second. The more she flung herself off the vault, threw herself off the edge of the beam, swung so hard around the bars they flexed wildly within her grip- the more she wanted to keep pushing herself. The more she wanted the lava of her endurance to overflow within her and explode in her fitness training.

"Just like I found you," Kim jumped and spun around at the elderly voice, distant in remembrance. "Training hard without end, always striving for the best, even when you've already achieved at harnessing your very best. Till this day, I have never seen anyone as passionate and spirited about this sport as you, Kimberly."

Kim could barely hold the small smile from fleeting off her face. "I didn't know anyone was still here."

"Apparently," His accent too light to hold any sign of anger. "You know better than anyone that its against the gymnasium policies for any gymnast to perform any type of exercise alone on the gym equipment. No matter what level of expertise they may bear." How could Kim forget? Two days straight in the hospital after that spill at the Youth Center, those years ago had knocked enough sense into her to know she never wanted to be cooped up like that again.

"I'm sorry, coach." She looked away, eyes focused intently on the powdered tape around her hands. She curled her fingers into her palms. "I just- I just got caught up in old memories, I guess."

"Ah, missing the sport; reliving your triumphant days." He eyed her carefully as his hands sunk into the blue pockets of his sweat pants. "You're still young, my dear. The gold can still be yours. I must admit, though I am proud of your wish to be someone's mentor in the near future of your career, I wish I could witness another victory from you one last time."

"Those days are over, its someone else turn to bring home the gold." She grinned softly, turning away from him to collect her towel discarded away from the vault. Nothing in her voice illuminated the enthusiasm she once had of her new dream to start her own gym- Anything that brought her bliss only felt sinful.

"Perhaps, you are right." The fine wrinkles beneath his eyes thicken slightly to pronounce his ages as he smiled in reminisce. It felt like yesterday when he first saw her on the beam in her own spot light above the ground far more advanced than half the students that trained years for the Pan Global under a coach. With the natural born talent Kim harnessed, it truly surprised him that no local instructor snatched her up a long time ago, yet nonetheless he was grateful that the opportunity presented itself to him. To bring home the gold you had to recruit the golden. But even Kimberly had her flaws- instantaneous departures during practice made him question her dedication to the sport more than once. Still, the young woman was - and remained- unstoppable at what she did, rightfully owning the title she worked hard to achieve.

If only her heart didn't suffer so much.

A coach knows their students physical strengths and weaknesses as much as their mental and emotional strengths and weaknesses. Somewhere down the road, Gunthar Schmidt stopped thinking of Kimberly as only a student under his wing, but a daughter- her pain was his, and never in the few years of knowing her had he felt more powerless to protect her from that pain. Even in her performance it showed. Her spiritedness and unyielding enthusiasm to teach the younger gymnasts had faltered; her mind was completely drowned in the suffocating thoughts that Gunthar couldn't begin to comprehend. Kimberly had planned to extend her stay in the Florida gymnasium once she had returned from her trip, which was odd alone; he already deduced that she would want to begin her plans to move back to California earlier to be closer to her remaining family and friends. Whom she had lost had without a doubt meant a great deal to her and the dread of her passing still hanging heavily over her head in gigantic swells of black clouds and sickening storms. Now each day he was witnessing her dreams dissolve away into almost mechanical reactions to each day, more hardships getting in the way, though Kimberly would never be one to be strict or hostel even in her darker days.

"You know Kimberly; you don't have to feel obligated to get back to work so soon. You're welcome to take as much time off as you need to recuperate and tend to your own needs." Schmidt spoke gently, as if each word of tenderness and care would only hit like bricks against her skull. She whipped the stray drizzle of water off her chin as she lowered her water bottle away from her lips and sat it back down onto the floor. The coach continued, holding Kim's decrepit and tired gaze. "Helena would be more than happy to take over the choreography instructions for the next week or two if you need them."

"I can't turn my back on the girls this close to the trials." Kimberly sighed, exhausting suddenly lapping through her body in heat strokes. "Besides, I have nothing else better to do; might as well do something productive with my time."

Coach Schmidt clamped his teeth beneath his sealed lips, bobbing his head lightly as if understanding what she was telling him. Kim had yet to talk to anyone about her trip to Angel Grove for the funeral, when she got back it was all business.

"Do you want to talk about what's really bothering you?"

"Coach, I'm fine, I promise you." She smiled a smile that was anything but convincing to him. "It's just been... a really long week, you know? And now I have a lot of work to do here; I'm just trying to get back into the routine."

Gunthar halted any further actions of hasty motion as he laid his hands onto Kim's shoulder and made her look him in the eye.

"You're anything, but well, Kim. I can see it, your students and the staff can see it." Kim turned her gaze away, but stood motionless. "You need to take care of yourself, grieve. I know you lost someone who meant a great deal to you."

"Coach-"

"No buts, Kimberly." He lifted a finger to silence her. "Take another week off to tend to yourself. I don't want to see you step a foot inside this gym until your week is up, is that understood?"

Kimberly's mouth gapped open and flapped shut numerous times as coach Schmidt squeezed her shoulders gently. Satisfied, he turned away, preparing to leave the gym, before he turned around.

"Oh, and not that it'll matter much since your about to take some time off," His hands stuffed themselves deep into his pockets. "The martial arts competitors for this years Pan Global games will be affiliating with our gym in the lower rooms where the beginner gymnasts train. Seems there are problematic situations at their facility. I offered we unite and share ours, since Kane's studio is too small to support all of his students." Kim's brow curved towards one another at the news. "They should be moving in within the next day or two."

"Kane? Master Kane of that capoeira complex down the street of Portman and 9th?" Kimberly inquired, something tugging in her mind.

"That would be the one."

Coach Schmidt turned and exited the gym, leaving Kim on her own as an idea gravitated in her mind.

Maybe it was a good idea that she took a break from gymnastics after all.

* * *

**The Same Day... **

**Angel Grove**

* * *

He opened the door, the air outside plowing in with sunshine, and yet, another quintessential spring day of painful beauty. 

"I didn't mean to rouse you so early,"

He wiped the sandpaper skin of his hand over his face, feeling fatigue burning his eyes like a second layer over his corneas as he turned his face away from the invasion of a perfect day. She stepped in after him, her softness of words and smile lingering after him as he turned away from her leaving the door gaping without so much as a welcome from his lips. She shut the door, the light draining from the piercing silence and ruins of the room; heaps of cardboard boxes leaking spread sheets and wires over bold lettering across the boxes reading: 'Fragile, handle with care' along with their rightful locations. Furniture weighed with suit cases and hardware; stray strips of tape and markers scattered here and there on various surfaces in a result of haste.

She circled the living room, remembering exactly how each piece of furniture once set accordingly to make the place homey and hospitable before a blizzard tore through and made the space between the walls of the room cramp and unpretentious.

" Y- your moving, aren't you?" The words produced more as an utter of astonishment, rather than an inquiry that requested an answer. He didn't need to give her one. For three years he lived in this house, taking them all by surprise when he returned to Earth to stay after finding love on a distant planet named Acquitter. He never abbreviated on exactly what happened, she assumed maybe it was falling out of love or missing the people and planet he left behind. It went unspoken that Gordon's sacrifice had shattered something within the first chosen rangers that even the second generation couldn't thoroughly understand.

"Were you ever going to tell us?" She asked, eyes widen; her heart splitting open and spilling out. He had to look away, the redness of her paining seeping through the walls and thrashing on to the floor like a tsunami against cliffs.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" He turned away from her, finding a perch as far away from those intoxicating celestial eyes as the tight room would allow him to travel.

"Kat, this really isn't the best time-"

"Then, when is the _right_ time, Billy?" She closed the gap between them, invading her beauty into his soul, eyes seeking out his fleeing own. "After you've landed on Aquitar, leaving me with a note? Or hey, how about another one of your damn mullet video transmissions! Not only was _that _intimate, but the quality was stunning as hell!"

Billy's nerves tighten at the thought of his sudden departure as his heart shivered at the Australian's choice of words.

"I never said I was returning to Aquitar," Billy walked a tight circle to try to tame the frustration welling up within his chest. His fingers pushed through his blonde locks, eyes still refusing to meet her burning gaze of hope. "But I can't stay here either."

Kat wiped the shiver of tears from her cheeks, her skin hot against her finger tips as she collected the salty moisture.

"You mean you don't think you could stay here with me," The amount of agony in her voice stole the thin amount of strength that kept him distant from her. He closed the distance between them as she wrapped her arms herself feeling tormented by his sudden affection, knowing that in a matter of time it would all come to an end. He tried to wrap her in his arms; she pulled away, hands pressing against his cotton shirt and lean muscles beneath. The push and pull game, weaken Kat to no end as she broke into sobs fighting to keep him at arms length; fighting to keep her body from melting against his, feeling the beat of his heart against hers.

Kat fought him till her strength drained from her, and Billy waited patiently till she had weaken from tears and rage; hurt and abandonment, before he could fully fold her into this arms. Her sobs accompanied her warm breath against his ear, burning at his soul.

Why was it harder for him to stay, when this woman in his arms should have made his heart make the facile decision with ease? Why was he so torn when he shouldn't be?

"I love you, Billy." She breathe softly, pulling back gently in his arms with her gaze settled at the bunch of is shirt grasped within her fingers. The feeling of his hands running across her back drew her lips closer to his in an unsealed kiss; it was that ghostlike feeling of the faintest trace of skin and warmth; seeping passion and intoxication. They danced like that for awhile, thrown between what they both waited and what the other was ripping away from them. Kat hated these moments, the last few minutes before she knew her heart would dive off a cliff, but this time was different, she didn't know if she could ascend from this as easily as she had done with Tommy, and her ex Chris, after him. This was love; it burned, consumed and thrived, ripped her out from the inside, before it twisted every nerve in your body like a live wire inflaming life and all its little necessities.

He whispered his ' love you's' and set loose his apologies, but they felt perfunctory and automatic, telling her only what she wanted to hear, while not giving her what she needed.

"You told me years ago, that you came back to Earth, because you missed home, your family and friends. You told me that you didn't want to be anywhere else in the galaxy as long as there could be an us. You told me that you loved me, and became my haven, I never felt like that with anyone one before, not anyone." She trembled meeting his gaze for the first time in the long minutes they clenched each other in a rage of emotion. " But see, before now, I never knew that you had felt the way I do...for someone else."

Billy's head shifted slightly from side to side as he gazed at her tearing eyes with his bewildered own.

" I did stay in Aquitar those years ago, but for all the wrong reasons, Kat. I told you, before..." Her finger tips hushed his words on top his tongue as she leaned her forehead against his in contempt for what she was about to say.

" I'm not talking about Cestria, Billy." Her throat tighten and strained to keep her voice steady from the retracted sobs. " I meant Trini."

Billy's heart all but shattered within his chest at the sound of her name. His arms loosen from around Kat's waist as his head bowed down and his body trembled, all from the sound of that name. For days, he had been running from that name, and everyone that repressed the memories attached, only to have it slapped back in to his face and jolt his soul. Kat pulled free from his arms, trembling- the truth unveiling and wounding her worse than she had prepared herself to handle.

A sob braced her throat and caused her jaw to ache with strain to contain it.

" When I saw you countless times gazing across the way at her, I looked away and shook the thought free from my mind. Trini was with Jason, they were in love and getting married- that same night we all found out about their engagement, I found you along outside, and you kissed me." Kat pushed back a lock of her hair behind her ear as her gaze shifted, recalling memories. "You took me home and made love to me... you were just seeking solace, weren't you? You were hurting that night, because you lost her to your best friend."

" That night had nothing to do about them, that was about us."

" How can I be so sure, Billy." She said, taking a slow step back away from him. " How can I be so sure that the reason your relationship with Cestria didn't work, because you were still in love with Trini?" She hugged herself as she spoke, feeling the chill of reality swallow her whole. "I mean, damn it, Billy, I loved her too. She was my friend just as much as she was yours, despite how long we may have known each other. She was a wonderful person. But never before now had I known how much I envied her."

Tears outlined her cheeks with her distress.

"You told me once, even before you left for Aquitar that you loved her for so long, but never once told her. How could I possibly know that the real reason you came back to Earth wasn't because you were homesick, but that you finally got the courage you didn't have those years ago to tell her? To tell her you loved her."

Billy turned away from her, fingers running over his face and into his hair, before his hands framed his hips. He couldn't bring himself to look at her, the room was pulling tight around his abdominal and gravity held him down and seeped him through everything dark and unendurable. Both the past and the present were suffocating him, like an infant unable to remove a pillow from over its head. Death and love were two things he never knew how to manage, something he never understood.

And healing... Where could he even begin?

As much as an intellectual he came to be, there were many things he could never understand, and with everything happening now... All he wanted was his mind to shut down and for the world to just stop rotating.

For a long time, silence plowed the room and eluded the voice of their thoughts and emotions.

" You're right," Billy spoke so softly, yet the impact slapped Kat in the heart. " I am returning to Aquitar. I'll be teleporting back to the planet by nightfall tonight."

Kat's eyes widen at the revelation, he had earlier dismissed without hesitance. Her hand reached out for the nearest stack of boxes with blue prints overflowing from them with diagrams as she felt the world tugged from beneath her feet. She never wanted to believe that him leaving could be true.

" Just like that," She said turning to face the short stack of boxes, the pale blue and dark designs mashing together in fuses of shapes without details. " You're just going to leave without resolving anything between us?"

" I have lots of preparations to take care of before I leave, Kat." He turned back to face her, his eyes hard and voice steady. " You should go."

Kat didn't know how she had the strength to stand, time just stopped along with her heart, and her tears ran dry along her eyelids. She stood dazed, before her eyes feel to where her hand laid trembling over the blueprints. Timid and heart broken, she finally left with a wispy thought that her mind never bothered to reflect on- Blue prints labeled: **P. C. ESTABLISHMENT, 2001. Echo Version 3.**

* * *

**Meanwhile... **

**Reefside**

* * *

" Looks like business is running slow today," Tommy slid to the side of the stool and leaned his elbow on the bar to admire the few bunches of students. 

" School does starts tomorrow; not everyone wants to spend their last day of freedom doing what they can being doing at home." The maroon haired owner eased a tall glass of his favorite fruit smoothy, decorated with a mini umbrella and a stripped straw his way with an astute smile playing across her face. " I may not have many teens today, but this business never fails at luring attractive men for company."

"Thanks, Hayley-"

"You think that guy over there would give me his number?"

Tommy glanced over his shoulder despite himself, before meeting Hayley's smug grin. Tommy offered her sheepish grin of his own, before the two mended in laugher. " Who said MIT students had no sense of humor."

" My parents; when I told them I was putting all my talents on hold to run a hang out for teens and placing all my skills on managing registers- they found it hilarious." She shook her head at the memory as she swung a dish rag over her shoulder. "That is until I told them I was serious."

Tommy's lips pressed into a fine line as his gaze fell down to the fruity blend of his drink; he gave the straw a lap in the glass.

" I know how... burdensome my life can be," He began, his eyes still leveled at his beverage. " If you ever feel-"

" I feel like pessimism should be tattooed on your forehead, Dr. Oliver." Hayley leaned forward on the bar, raising Tommy's chin with her finger tips. She took a quick look to make sure no one was nearby as she spoke. " You didn't make my life burdensome, you made it worth living; purposeful. I've always been grateful to be trusted so much as a friend to be told such an amazing thing. Now, I'm apart of it and I'm placing my abilities to better cause than I ever could working for NASA or any other extensive technology corporation. So don't you for one second think you dragged me into this by the scalp of my hair."

She flicked the end of her dish rag lightly at Tommy's shoulder mirroring his spreading smile. Tommy placed his hand on top of hers still laid on the bar.

" You're a great friend, Hales."

"Aw, well... Don't praise me too much." Hayley smiled, slapping the top of his hand, lightly. " Besides, I get a kick out of knowing the rest of world knows Clark Kent, whereas, I know you're really Superman."

Tommy had to laugh out loud as the woman hopped back to work completing orders for a group of new customers. Tommy took a long slurp of his drink, the berries and melon taste pouring cooly down his throat, before he felt a vibration against the top of his thigh. He quickly dug through the tight folds of his pocket, raising up on his stool to do so without slipping off the footings of the seat. The sleek black verison phone fell into the palm of his hand with the screen illuminating around the callers name; Tommy pressed the send button.

" Hey beautiful, thought maybe I wouldn't get a call today."

"Hey to you, too." Her voice in his nearly caused the distance between them to dissolve. " Sorry, it took me so long to call. Coach and I did double time with the girls today. You know, to make up for the time I lost. My replacement did a decent job, but the girls are still a little rough around the edges. Its going to be a long few weeks."

" Tell me about it. I have to go back to school tomorrow, so I've been rustling up my weekly assignments and lesson plans for our new principle to review. Apparently, Principle Reeves had a sudden departure, and the school got an immediate replacement before Reeves' seat could get cold." Tommy took another long sip of his drink, before he spoke. "I guess this had been planned for sometime now."

" That's kinda odd, the staff weren't notified or anything? The principle didn't want a farewell party, at least?"

" Dean Reeves liked to maintain a relationship with each associate of the school staff, helps keep the school environment as amicable and benevolent as possible. I really enjoyed working with him; he was always involved. It was a shame to hear that he left so abruptly, but I would have thought he might want a going away gathering as well. The new principle met with the staff when I was absent for the... funeral." Tommy's voice fell to a hush at the word _funeral, _the mere of burying one of his friends was still a sharp pang to his heart and mind trying to grasp the reality. Without a reply, Kim simply immersed herself in silence; he couldn't even imagine how Kim was feeling.

Tommy licked his lips wet, before breezing ahead, making a mental note to talk to her about it in a less public environment.

"Supposedly, she runs a school like a general running a troop of soldiers to war. Only if you loose a limb, she expects you to keep fighting and hold your tears for your mother to baby you."

" Oh, I doubt any principle could be like that."

" I don't know Kim," Tommy pressed his palm flat on the surface of the bar, remembering all the horror stories he had been told. " My colleagues looked pretty shaken when they told me."

The light sound of Kimberly's laughter put him at ease.

" You'll be fine, handsome." She said, her voice more brighten, rather than lethargic. " I'm sure it'll be nothing the great Tommy Oliver can't handle."

"With my luck, we'll be fighting on the school yard about field trip permissions to digs and science club budges." Tommy chuckled. " Maybe that'll spark my students interest in my lectures." Tommy murmured, sighing at the thought. Kim giggled, before coursing Tommy to do the same, missing the curious glances Hayley threw his way as she hopped from customer to customer serving drinks.

As stubborn as she was to admit it, Hayley was going to need more help on the floor, especially if she wanted to find out who it was that made Tommy smile, like _that_. Yes, the man was allowed to smile, she was actually relieved to know he still could after the tragedy had taken place. But why? Why was he smiling?

This wasn't the only occurrence; yesterday afternoon she had dropped by his house to see him after he kept himself in solitude to mourn for days after the funeral, assuring her that he was fine and not attempting to commit any suicide attempts. Of course, Hayley knew he wouldn't do it...hoped, anyway. She was just at lost on how to be there for him and help through such a tragedy when he wouldn't let her in to help. It was difficult enough not knowing Trini. Jason always told her, " Trini is very deep into her studies on geology and plans for their wedding that time just ran away from her", so what could Hayley possibly say to comfort Tommy on someone she didn't know. It was a shame Hayley would never got the chance, again.

The day she finally saw Tommy, he told her about everything that had happened, over the last few days she missed, and something didn't fit. There was an important factor that didn't add up; everything were just so uncanny and bizarre that it started to chew away at Hayley's mind. Tommy would smile or chuckle softly over things when he thought she wasn't looking, gazing longingly in areas when he didn't realize she had noticed- it was like he was hiding the secret of him being a super hero all over again!

Hayley hated not knowing, but most of all, she hated that she wanted to know. Call her passive- aggressive or whatever, but that was one character trait that annoyed her about herself. At least now she was one step further along the trail; she knew there was _someone_ supplying these new mannerisms rather to him just growing simply insane. Now, she just wanted to know who that person was just as much as she wanted to choke herself with her dish rag for allowing curiosity to prod her, so easily.

" Hayley, I think I'm going to head home." Hayley nearly jumped as Tommy now stood directly in front of her on the other side of the bar. She blinked; exactly how long had she been immersed in thought? Tommy's left hand jiggled the slim phone in his pocket while his other embraced his car keys, waiting for her to respond- but he didn't wait.

Tommy was gone before she could think to utter another word, nor register the sadden look upon his face.

* * *

Kimberly stared at the phone for the longest time, the digital clock numbers ticking off the time in a mean glare at the corner of her eye. She didn't know how long she laid there, completely out of touch and stoic, her body seemed to come to grasp that this emotion was a second skin, new training to master. _Why didn't you tell him?_ Her mind fussed in its fatigue. _Why didn't you tell him about what really happened on your 'great' day?_

She turned her face towards the ceiling hanging over her, drowning her in its cliche' white paint and imprisonment. Where had the day gone? At first, it had begun in her usual routine, wake by four am, shower, breakfast, and to the gym by five- thirty am. Train the girls, give her prep talks, acts encouragement, all while maintaining wide, plastic smiles, till late in the evening.

Then, came the talk with coach- "Take a week off," He said. "And don't set another foot back into this gym, until that week has been complete."

B-E-A-Utiful!

It didn't work of course; not in the why he had hoped. If she couldn't be in that gym, fine! She found another: Kane's Capoeira Dojo. Okay, so it wasn't her first choice, but it was indeed a martial art, and along the lines of exactly what she needed. There was no way she was wallowing around her house for an entire week to kill herself in memories and pick up household chores. She needed to get out- the walls were suffocating her to no end, throwing themselves down on top of her like rampaging titans in clouds of white garments. The silence was agonizing, pulsing with her own lonesomeness.

Exhausted from her first day at a new sport, she dragged herself to this torture chamber, only to be flagged down by her neighbor, Mrs. Fray, whose kindness managed to annoy Kim for the first time since she knew her.

Now, here she was, hours later, recalling her phone call with Tommy, missing his body next to hers, his kisses, and breath against her ear. He genuinely sounded like he missed her, he had told her again and again, careful to keep the words hushed in a public area. After all, no one could know they were back together -or would be at some point-, if there still was a threat out there waiting for him. Neither of them wanted to risk the chance to get the other hurt when they could prevent it.

It was unruly how she could just love that man, so unconditionally.

_So why didn't you tell him about it?_ Kim groaned, sitting up to toss her legs over the end of her queen sized bed to set her feet on the floor and trek slowly into her living room.

It was amazing how a cube of cardboard could swallow your heart and sear your pain to its utmost. She edged closer, cautious steps on top the carpeted floor that seemed to explode under her pressure. The box was open, Mrs. Fray had bad eyes and missed placed her glasses, before she noticed that it had been delivered to the wrong doorstep. Inside, a short note laid unfolded and written in clean cursive letters:

_Take care of these precious things and all the secrets they contain. Never forget my words to you. _

_Chang Kwan_

Kimberly sat the letter aside and gazed down at the contents within the box, a small heap of journals and worn notebooks that all once belonged to Trini Kwan.

* * *

**Authors Note: **Short note: Mullet is Australian for idiot, according to this book I'm reading for fun, haha. I thought it was a pretty nifty idea to toss that in if Kat's going to unleash on Billy. Did everyone catch those tons of references I laid out through the story??? Those were fun to write. Like for instance, the new principle at Tommy's school. Wonder who it is...Getting interesting, isn't it? Looks like, Kim's taking up a new sport, thats going to be interesting. Other than Hip hop kido that Zack started, this will be different from the other martial arts the rangers have done. So billy's leaving Earth now, Kat's broken hearted, doesn't like like Hayley knows about Kim, and Kim's got a package. What will happen next!? Well, when I write it we'll both know, haha. Right now, its off to** finally** work on my other stuff. 

**Read and review!** Also, a special thanks to those who have reviewed. To **Shawn30** and **Rickey, **thank you for your comments, corrections, and friendship that helped me complete this chapter.

Happy reading, everyone!!!

**EclipsingFlames **


	8. Breach Of Mind

**It Was Supposed to be Forever**

**By Eclipsing Flames**

**Breach Of Mind**

* * *

**Somewhere far from Earth  
**

* * *

The whistling of the winds sharpened as the lone invader took cautious steps. The wide plains of cold sand whirl-winded around him in cyclones and tidal waves that unleashed like razors, slicing his robes wrapped protectively over his body.

Suns were a myth to this place. The pitch black skies gripped three moons overhead enough to pale the grounds with washes of light and shadow the distant mountains.

He stopped.

He gently unwrapped himself of the thick cloak, freeing his arms from the embracing warmth as the climate rushed to his chest with its frozen winds. A large crystal egg of jade black filled his hands as its surface caught the triple moons in the sky. He couldn't stop himself from exploring its luscious shape, his thick fingers sliding over its smooth surface as he gazed over its preciousness. From its center, light cascaded down to the collected floors of sand within a three foot radius around him. The sharp grains in the air all halted as the egg streamed a delicate hum from its core.

He held the egg out before him as the drowning color inhaled back from its reach along the ground to a single bold beam. It illuminated more brightly, allowing its evolving brilliance to levitate from the guarding hands and hover over the ground.

He grinned with his golden eyes blazing as he watched the egg harmonize with its birth place, recognizing its home. The egg spun vertical over the cold surface as its beam of light opened the ground below into a perfect circle to accept it.

"It is done," he whispered, as his eyes followed as the the egg descended to embody itself into the ground.

* * *

**One week later...**

* * *

Her feet padded the carpet overlapping her marked footprints from a half an hour trek around the coffee table. She gripped the cordless phone in between her hands, using both thumbs to press in the number. She held the receiver to her ear as the other line rang.

"You've reached a number that is no longer available-."

Kimberly groaned. She smashed her finger over the 'end' button to disconnect the call. Frustration tightened her brow. It was the infinite time she had tried to reach Billy at home, but like his mobile, it was as if the number never existed.

She slowly exhaled, hoping some of her gathering stress would leave along with her breath. The numbers beeped as she then tried Zack. The familiar Usher song played as a recording of Zack's voice announced he was not available, before a beep sounded to let her know it was her turn to leave a message.

"Zack, it's Kim. Again." Kimberly resisted the urge to strangle the phone. "Look, I know you have your shows and everything, but I can't reach Billy and this is the tenth call I've made to you. I really need to talk to you about something. Please, call back soon."

Kimberly hung up the phone, using her free hand to try to massage away the migraine starting to spread. She placed the phone down on the table as she took a seat on the edge of sofa couch. Her mind raced in circles, completely buried by swells of stress and pressure that seemed relentless to ease. It frustrated her so much that she hadn't been able to reach her friends since the wake had taken place. Kim sympathized with their grief, but the isolation from each other now when she felt they needed the other the most was unbearable.

She reached across the table to the scribbled note laying unfolded along the surface. She read softly to herself. "All the secrets they contain..."

The journals still remained in the box she'd received them in. The ones on top were bound together by rubber bands, plain covers of black, and others, bland brown. None were labeled from what she could see.

Kimberly didn't know if she could bring herself to touch them. The pain was still too fresh and hearing her best friend's voice through her written word felt overwhelming towards her heart. She thought of calling Mr. Kwan; but the fear of seeming ungrateful for his daughter's precious possessions kept her at bay.

Kim reached out and placed the note back on top the table, exhausted from all the heaviness of her contemplations. She stood and stretched her body to try to loosen her sore, tight muscles from another long day of training. Kim had always found it easy to release tension and smooth out her mind from the cram of strangling thoughts by reaching outside of herself in a way only gymnastics could provide.

Capoeira equaled in that regard, yet came from something altogether different. Capoeira involved a lot of flexibility and agility, which her many years of gymnastics provided for her. On the other hand, the martial art style largely incorporated dance that Kim wasn't accustom to doing in her gymnastics routines. Her head still filled with the commands of the berimba, an instrument that heavily induced the pace of her practices and helped her focus on her movements. Kim happily let it overflow within her, feeling everything within her hushed to that sound. The pain, the grief, the anger and isolation... everything just became utterly sound.

* * *

**Tommy Oliver Residence**

* * *

"I'm extending the bio-scan another thirty-five percent further into the woodland. I have a good feeling we're closing on to another bio-zord to add to the team." Hayley keyed in the coordinates, watching the flashing indicator on the viewing screen spread into a larger radius. She swung her chair around to face Tommy as she weaved her fingers together. "It might even suit the new accessory I built for you."

Tommy stood at the center of the room, his fingers trailing the silver band that was naked from the body of power the missing crystal would bring. It felt so weightless and cool against his skin, but also offered a familiarity he had long been accustomed to. It had just been over two weeks since he donned his Zeo morpher, and in that time so much had drastically changed, since Jason's words' of disdain had heavily flooded over his senses. It still stabbed at his heart to the point that it made the morpher feel like a thick chain that would drown him beneath a watery surface.

"Tommy..." He hadn't heard Hayley cross over the room. "If you're not ready for this-"

"Its not about being ready, Hales." He let his hand fold into a fist as he watched the band catch the overhead lights. "Its about taking responsibility for my mistakes."

Hayley knew that could mean so much in his life now. The look on his face was hard with determination and duty, the look of a ranger that had seen many battles and conflicted with the mortal man who carried so much on his shoulders. Ever since he had acquired the morpher, the little incognito of things that nibbled at her seemed to become few and far between. Hayley knew the few day's events' didn't make it any better.

It had been three days since the dino gems had bonded with three of Tommy's students from Reefside High. Connor Mcknight, the all-star soccer player; Ethan James, a computer wiz and gamer; and Kira Ford, a lone girl who knew how to express herself best through music. Hayley knew this only cause Tommy had told her. She had yet to meet the three rangers. Tommy was confident he could trust the teens; but still, they were young and as much as he knew they were capable, they needed guidance. So the once ranger knew he had to take them under his wing and do everything in his power to help them along, whilst protecting the city from the grave forces that began all of it. For hours they ran scans, reinforced security on the lair, broadened tracking for gems and bio zords, and increased surveillance on the city of Reefside for attacks. She could tell that Tommy had even somehow found the time to put the punching bags and exercise equipment to use.

"You should get some rest, Hayley," Tommy said more gently, bringing Hayley out of her thoughts. " It's getting late and there's not much more that needs to be done here. At least for today."

"How about you tell me what's been on your mind?" Hayley folded her arms over her chest, as she stared him down to break his solid demeanor.

"I have a billion things going on in my head," he exhaled, washing his hands over his face. "But I'm much too exhausted from it to even put a dent in getting it out to you. I just need some sleep."

Hayley raised a brow, before letting her arms fall down to her sides. "Fine. But only cause I know you have an early day tomorrow. Come the weekend, we should really sit and talk. You've been through a lot in a short matter of weeks, so I know you could use a friend."

"You got a deal."

"Deal," she agreed.

Tommy led the way up a short flight of stairs to the study room of his house perched just above. They made their way through the short hall to into the living room where Chinese food cartons still sat on top the coffee table with a few graded papers and a stack still left to be marked.

Hayley grabbed her coat draped over the back of the couch and her laptop bag, pulling it closed. "Night, Superman."

"Drive safe, Hayley." Tommy slipped loose a small smile for her as he walked her to the door.

The last light of the evening was quickly melting as a few stars brightened back into existence. He watched Hayley till she drove back through the trees and out into the main road just outside of them. Tommy closed the door. He had once welcomed the silence, the solitude that carried away all his anxieties of the day and returned to him a simple clarity. As the days grew on, however, it became more difficult to bear; there were too many thoughts, too many conflicts in his mind that made him unable to sit still.

Exhaustion washed over him as he used his fingers to try to ease the ache growing in the back of his neck. The papers left on his table needed his attention, but he couldn't help but to surrender to his body's yearn for a long shower and the screaming in his mind to have everything in his head silenced. He took to the stairs a step at a time and in a blur lost his clothes and had the shower on at a temperature hot enough to lightly sting his skin. He let the water fall over his face, flattening the hair on top his head. It felt so good that it seemed sinful as it eased the tightness along his back.

Tommy inhaled deeply, hoping the steam would release the stress that was clinging to him. The hot water rushing over him was welcomed, as its burning pelts unpeeled his thoughts from a tangle mess so he could at least focus on one at a time.

The new rangers were his first priority right now. They were three young rangers that had no idea what they were up for nor knew his past or if they even wanted to hold the responsibility of this new power. None of them had asked for it, after all. The whole reason they were now a part of it was because of him. He knew even before they had been chosen that he would have to step back into the active line of duty. It had only been a matter of time. Jason's words' seared through him in the worst of ways, but it was still a fate he couldn't ignore. He had to put an end to what Mesogog was doing, an end to the chaos that had started because of experiments he'd taken part in. Tommy reminded himself constantly of these things. He had to; otherwise, it would continue to rip him apart.

Turning away from the power so many years ago had been a day of reckoning for so long. Every ranger had to come to that point. Being a ranger was more than shiny new mega zords or powers. It was a constant battle for your life, for the lives you cared about and the lives of the people on the planet. Such service was an honorable thing to do, and a very hard life to lead as much as it could offer the ultimate fulfillment.

The time comes when you just want a normal life and every ranger is entitled to have that. If Kira, Ethan or Connor ever wanted to step down from being a ranger, Tommy would grant them that. There was not one person he would ever force to stay as ranger. Tommy had been content with the normal part of his life. He excelled in many things, most he never could have comprehended he could do or do well. He had a very simple little life with little wants for anything. The thought of having a family had passed his mind as it does with everyone, but some how work became everything.

The experiments became everything.

Now he had another morpher made for him and was hoping for a new gem to bond to his DNA. Being a ranger was in his blood. Maybe ever since Rita raped his mind with evil and used him to will the green ranger powers.

_Great, now it's psychological,_ he thought, shoving through his hair with his hand.

Thinking over everything so much, he felt he could achieve nothing but circles. He was becoming more beset with trying to shake Jason's claim of being stuck, forever driven to live the life of a ranger.

Tommy raised a fist ready to hit the wet tiles before him in grievance, but instantly felt too drained and defeated to carry out the action. His body hummed with the water's consistent flow that washed over him like live wires trying to eat through him.

He tightened the taps off and the water ceased. Thick hot mists from the sultry currents wrapped around him and fogged the glass to the door. His feet landed on the cushion of the bath mat as he wrapped a large towel around his waist not bothering to dry himself off. Tommy went out to his connecting bedroom, the steam exhaling in his trail into the open space. He seized the phone from his night stand, taking to the end of his bed as he dialed the number to the voice he became desperate to hear.

"Tommy?" Somehow he knew she had been waiting for him to call. He felt himself cling to her instantaneously.

"Kimberly..." Tommy breathed out her name between his lips like a sweet memory of comfort and ease.

"What's wrong?" He heard her readjust herself through the phone more alert. "Was there another attack? Did something happen to one of the kids?"

"No, no they're fine. Its none of that," Tommy reassured her. He felt an absent blush spread onto his cheeks and he couldn't help feeling embarrassed. "I just...I just needed to hear your voice," he said almost shyly.

"It's more than that. I can always tell when somethings is bothering you, Tommy." Kimberly's voice relaxed, but was still concerned as she invited him to confide in her.

Tommy sighed, suddenly not knowing where to even begin. That was all it took.

"Jason?"

"Yeah," Tommy fell back onto his bed, gripping his hair with his free hand. "I still can't shake that day, when he said all those things about me not being able to give up being a ranger. The last few days hasn't made it any easier."

"I know you're scared." Tommy closed his eyes to shut out everything around him from his mind and just listened to her voice. "After what happened... I don't think there is a single one of us that hasn't analyzed through their lives trying to get their priorities straightened. We both knew that being a part of the rangers now was your priority. It has to be. What Jason said was out of his grief."

"I know you're right." Tommy rubbed at the remaining knots along the back his neck till they loosened completely. Kimberly reminding him eased his heart so much more than he ever could trying to fight through it on his own. "I just needed to hear it from you more than anything else."

"I can remind you as much as you need me to," she said softly. "We talked about this a long time while I was there but that was before the time was actually here for you to have to be confronted with all this. There being attacks and rangers again. It's all before you now."

"I'm grateful you're here with me through this, Kim," Tommy said softly; heartfelt. "It really helps me to be able to face any of this."

Tommy remembered the last night she'd spent with him just laying by his side. Her hair sprayed on his pillow, hands at times reaching to clench. Often in times when it became unbearable, he just held her and she cried into his chest while curled perfectly into his side. He missed her being near. They both knew this would be the hardest time of their lives and the thought of separation had made Tommy's blood run cold and he felt it worst for Kim. He promised that as soon as this was over his ranger days were behind him. And he hoped Kimberly would still be there when that day came.

"I haven't heard from anyone," Kimberly's voice brought him back after the conversation drifted to a comfortable pause. "Not Billy. Not Zack."

"They haven't called back or anything? You've been trying for weeks now."

"I know...Ugh, I haven't gotten anything, Tommy." The stress of it flooded her voice as she spoke. "I tried and tried and tried! I'm so tired of trying. I feel like the one constant thing I've had in my life is just..leaving me and I don't know what to do..."

"Hey, shh." Every part of him wanted to be there to hold her as she broke into sobs. "Listen Kim, you are not alone. I wont let you be. I'm sure Zack and Billy just need time to heal in their own way before all of you can come to the point where you can heal together. You have to give them time."

"Yeah..." Kimberly sniffled as he heard her move about on her end of the line possibly going for a tissue. Tommy waited patiently though he felt a bit restless and helpless to do more for her. It was the hardest pain to know there was so much distance between them at that moment.

"I'm really trying not to be selfish." Her voice was husky, sitting heavily in his chest.

"You're not selfish," Tommy spoke gently. "Trini meant a lot to you. She meant a lot to all of you. You're not selfish for wanting all of you to be together. All of you knew each other long before me-"

"Practically our whole lives," she whispered.

"You've been through everything together," Tommy said just as softly. He listened to her breath against his ear as silence carried between them and was replaced by the thought. He knew that in that moment memories clenched at her heart.

"When you're a kid..." Kim began before a jesting 'ha' escaped her lips. "Not even just a child, but when you're a ranger...you feel like you're superior in a way. We survived so much."

Tommy nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. From time to time you went through battles, struck down giants, and conquered everything from getting homework done in between to coming near death and surviving. Every ranger had to find out one way or another that end the day, they had as much to lose as anyone else. Underneath the power, they were still human. Living, breathing beings that would be born, live and one day die. Not since Zordon had passed, had there been a greater hit. And for most, Trini's death had been the first blow. Tommy swallowed heavily, forlornly thinking of his friends he would never come to see again.

"I just miss her so much it hurts...." her voice now at a delicate whisper.

"I miss her too." Tommy laid his hand on top his chest, whilst embracing the phone more closely to his ear with his other hand. Kim yawned softly, reminding him of how much later it was in Florida. "You should get some sleep..."

Kim moaned tiredly in response and Tommy knew she was already drifting. He waited, holding his breath to listen in more closely to her breathing settle into a more alleviating pace absent of stress and mourning.

He exhaled, eyes shut in a prayer that was foreign to his lips. He prayed that there be a blanket nestled under her chin, hugging her close with protection and warmth to ease her shivering. That her dreams were filled with no other distresses that may shake her awake during the night.

Still, as much as he prayed, Tommy pretended he laid along side her, again. When she laid with his arms around her and her head against his chest as he listened to her breathing into the late hours of the night as it crawled forward into another morning.

* * *

**~Dedicated to Chanelle Summer~ **

* * *

**Author's Note: **So does anyone remember this story? Haha, I know, I've completely weaned out every one's interest. I really don't have any excuse for such a long hiatus, other than mostly, laziness. It's honestly been a long and crazy few years, and I'm slowly coming back to old passions and hoping to successfully continue on with the ventures I've started. I should be updating this within the next couple of weeks as I already a bit ahead. So thank all of you for your patience ( If there is indeed any of you left), and hopefully, I still have some potential within me to satisfy your interest in my stories. Peace to all!**~ Eclipsing Flames  
**


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